ياO خيرَbest منthose whom دبَّتِwalked المطيُّriding camels بهِwith him
يا خيرَ من دبَّتِ المطيُّ بهِ
ومنand those whom تقدَّىsped along بسرجِهِwith his saddle فرَسُa horse
ومن تقدَّى بسرجِهِ فرَسُ
O best of those borne along by riding camels,
O best of those who rode the camels
And those beneath whose saddle a horse has sped,
And of those who advanced with their horses
هلis there غايةٌa destination فيin المسيرِthe journey نعرِفُهاwe know it
هل غايةٌ في المسيرِ نعرِفُها
أمor أمرناour course فيin المسيرِthe journey مُلتَبَسُunclear
أم أمرنا في المسيرِ مُلتَبَسُ
Is there a destination on the journey that we know,
Is there an end to this journey that we know
Or is our course on the journey unclear?
Or is our matter in this journey confused
ماnot علمُknowledge of هذاthis إلاexcept إلىto ملكٍa king
ما علمُ هذا إلا إلى ملكٍ
منfrom نورهِhis light فيin الظلامِthe darkness نقتَبِسُwe draw light
من نورهِ في الظلامِ نقتَبِسُ
Knowledge of this rests only with a king,
None knows this except a King
From whose light we draw illumination in the darkness.
From whose light in the darkness we seek
إنif سِرتَyou travel سارtravels الرّشادُright guidance مُتَّبِعاًfollowing
إن سِرتَ سار الرّشادُ مُتَّبِعاً
وإنand if تقفyou stop فالرَّشادُthen right guidance محتَبَسُheld back
وإن تقف فالرَّشادُ محتَبَسُ
If you journey on, right guidance journeys after you;
If you march on, guidance will follow
And if you stop, right guidance is held back.
And if you stop, guidance will be hindered