قلsay لعلاءto Ala الدينal-Din (the faith) ياO
قل لعلاء الدين يا
أكرمmost generous منthose who are فوقabove الثرىthe earth
أكرم من فوق الثرى
Say to Ala al-Din: O
Say to Aladdin, O
most generous of all upon the earth,
Most honorable above the soil
ومنand who يرىis seen عندat النواgiv- (beginning of النوال)
ومن يرى عند النوا
ل-ing (completes النوال) ضاحكاsmiling مستبشراrejoicing
ل ضاحكا مستبشرا
and you who are seen, when giving,
And whoever sees at dawn
smiling and rejoicing:
Laughing and rejoicing tomorrow
غداtomorrow يجدhastens (يجدّ) ركبناour caravan
غدا يجد ركبنا
إلىto الحسينal-Husayn فيduring السرىnight travel
إلى الحسين في السرى
Tomorrow our caravan will hasten
Will find our caravan
to al-Husayn, traveling by night.
To Al-Husayn in secret has rode
قدalready ركبواthey have mounted وجنبواand they led alongside الthe (article of الخيل)
قد ركبوا وجنبوا ال
خيلhorses العتافthe noble-bred (apparently العتاق) الضمراthe lean
خيل العتاف الضمرا
They have mounted and led alongside them
And mounted, avoided the
the noble-bred, lean horses.
Stallions of burden and concealment
وليسand there is not ليfor me غيرanything but كعاheel- (beginning of كعابي)
وليس لي غير كعا
بي-s of mine (completes كعابي) إنif أردتI wish السفراtravel
بي إن أردت السفرا
And I have nothing but my heels,
And I have none but Ka'b
if I wish to travel.
If I wanted the journey
فانعمso grant your favor ونفذand send عاجلاat once
فانعم ونفذ عاجلا
ليto me الجوادthe steed الأشقراthe chestnut-colored
لي الجواد الأشقرا
So favor me and send at once
So grant and send me soon
to me the chestnut steed,
The chestnut steed
عاريةa loan مردودةto be returned
عارية مردودة
إليكto you فافعلso do ماwhat ترىyou see fit
إليك فافعل ما ترى
a loan to be returned
A loan to be returned
to you; so do as you see fit.
To you, so do what you see fit
فلستfor I am not أرجوhoping for نيلbounty منone who
فلست أرجو نيل من
يحبlikes أنto يعطيgive الكراthe hire-fee (shortened الكراء)
يحب أن يعطي الكرا
For I expect no bounty from one
For I hope not to gain from
who likes to give the hire-fee.
One who loves to give generously