إليكto you رسولO Messenger of اللَهGod سرناwe journeyed عصابةas a band
إليك رسول اللَه سرنا عصابة
نجوبwe traverse لكfor your sake الحراتthe lava fields والسهلand the plain أجمعاall of it
نجوب لك الحرات والسهل أجمعا
To you, O Messenger of God, we journeyed as a band,
To you the Messenger of God we traveled, a band
crossing for your sake the lava fields and all the plains.
We roamed the hot sands and plains all over
فطوراًso at times بأثناءwithin الجواريthe ships وتارةًand at other times
فطوراً بأثناء الجواري وتارةً
ركبناwe rode إليكtoward you الأرحبياتthe Arhabi she-camels وضعاat a swift pace
ركبنا إليك الأرحبيات وضعا
So, at times aboard ships, and at others,
Sometimes on maidens’ howdahs, at others
we rode Arhabi she-camels swiftly toward you.
We rode to you on she-camels, heavily laden,
وطوراًand at times علىon ظهرthe backs of الحميرthe donkeys وتارةًand at other times
وطوراً على ظهر الحمير وتارةً
ركبناwe rode لكfor your sake النعلمthe sandal (likely النعل) الخصيفstitched together المرقعاpatched
ركبنا لك النعلم الخصيف المرقعا
And at times on donkeys’ backs, and at others,
And times on donkeys’ backs, at others still
we traveled for your sake in stitched, patched sandals.
We rode to you the patchwork-shod half boot,
وصلناwe joined الضحىthe forenoon بالليلto the night والليلand the night بالضحىto the forenoon
وصلنا الضحى بالليل والليل بالضحى
إذاwhen المنعمthe pampered man الخاليfree from care انطوىcurled up وتهجعاand slept
إذا المنعم الخالي انطوى وتهجعا
We joined forenoon to night, and night to forenoon,
We arrived at dawn, by night, and night by dawn
while the carefree man of comfort curled up and slept.
While the resting place lay wrapped in slumber,
نراقبwe watch إفراطforerunners (likely أفراط) النجومof the stars إذاwhen هوتthey sink
نراقب إفراط النجوم إذا هوت
غوائرsetting out of sight أوor تبدوappear منfrom الشرقthe east طلعاrising
غوائر أو تبدو من الشرق طلعا
We watch the foremost stars as they sink,
Observing the rising of stars when they dropped
setting out of sight, or appear rising from the east.
As a trove, or showed in the east as a new birth,
وقدand indeed سفرتscorched (likely سفعت) شمسthe sun of النهارdaytime وجوهناour faces
وقد سفرت شمس النهار وجوهنا
فجئناso we came إليكto you الآنnow شعثاًdisheveled وسعفاand sun-darkened (likely وسفعا)
فجئنا إليك الآن شعثاً وسعفا
And the sun of day has scorched our faces,
The sun of day had tanned our faces so
so now we have come to you, disheveled and sun-darkened.
With fair hope our guide, and love for you
وقدand indeed ساقناhas driven us حسنgoodness of الرجاءhope وقادناand led us
وقد ساقنا حسن الرجاء وقادنا
لكfor you الحبlove فاقتدناso we followed لوصلكto meet you طوعاwillingly
لك الحب فاقتدنا لوصلك طوعا
Fair hope has driven us onward, and we were led
Driving us to attain to you by consent,
by love for you; so we followed willingly to meet you.
At your door we threw our staves for we
ببابكat your door ألقيناwe laid down العصيthe staffs وإنناand indeed we
ببابك ألقينا العصي وإننا
لنرجوكsurely we hope in you أنthat توليyou bestow الجميلkindness وتشفعاand intercede
لنرجوك أن تولي الجميل وتشفعا
At your door we laid down our staffs, and we
Hope indeed that you will grant grace and intercede.
surely hope you will bestow kindness and intercede.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.