لَم أَنسَ إِذ نوديتُ ما قالَ مالِكٌ

لَم أَنسَ إِذ نوديتُ ما قالَ مالِكٌ

وَنَحنُ قِيامٌ بَينَ أَيدي الرَكايِبِ

وَنَحنُ قِيامٌ بَينَ أَيدي الرَكايِبِ

I have not forgotten what Malik said when I was called,

I did not forget when Malik called me out

while we stood before the riding camels—

As we stood before the mounted travelers

وَصِيَّتَهُ إِذ قالَ هَل أَنتَ مُخبِرٌ

وَصِيَّتَهُ إِذ قالَ هَل أَنتَ مُخبِرٌ

عَنِ الناسِ ما أَمسوا بِهِ يا اِبنَ غالِبِ

عَنِ الناسِ ما أَمسوا بِهِ يا اِبنَ غالِبِ

his counsel, when he said, “Will you report

And his request when he said, “Are you the informant

the people's condition this evening, O son of Ghalib?”

Of people and how they spent this day, O Ibn Ghalib?”

فَقُلتُ نَعَم وَالراقِصاتِ إِلى مِنىً

فَقُلتُ نَعَم وَالراقِصاتِ إِلى مِنىً

لَئِن بَلَغَت بي مُنتَهى كُلِّ راغِبِ

لَئِن بَلَغَت بي مُنتَهى كُلِّ راغِبِ

So I said, “Yes, by the camels dancing toward Mina:

So I said “Yes, and the dancing girls are going to Mina

if they bring me to the goal of every seeker,

If I reach the goal of every desirer”

وَكانَ وَفاءُ الناسِ خَيرُهُمُ لَهُم

وَكانَ وَفاءُ الناسِ خَيرُهُمُ لَهُم

نَدىً وَيَداً قَد أُترِعَت كُلَّ جانِبِ

نَدىً وَيَداً قَد أُترِعَت كُلَّ جانِبِ

and men's faithfulness means being their best benefactor,

And the loyalty of people was best for them

in generosity and a hand filled to overflowing on every side,

A call and a hand that grabbed every side

لَأَشتَكِيَن شَكوى يَكونُ اِشتِكاؤُها

لَأَشتَكِيَن شَكوى يَكونُ اِشتِكاؤُها

لَها نُجُحاً أَو عِذرَةً لِلمُخاطِبِ

لَها نُجُحاً أَو عِذرَةً لِلمُخاطِبِ

I shall surely voice a complaint whose utterance

I will complain a complaint that my complaining

will bring it success, or an excuse for the speaker.

Will either help me or excuse the addressed

شَكَوتُ إِلَيكَ الجَهدَ لِلناسِ وَالقِرى

شَكَوتُ إِلَيكَ الجَهدَ لِلناسِ وَالقِرى

وَأَنَّ الذُرى قَد عُدنَ مِثلَ الغَوارِبِ

وَأَنَّ الذُرى قَد عُدنَ مِثلَ الغَوارِبِ

I complained to you of the people's hardship and the feeding of guests,

I complained to you of the hardship of people and homes

and that the humps have become like withers.”

And that offspring have returned like strangers