سَأَلتُ النَدى هَل أَنتَ فَقال لا

سَأَلتُ النَدى هَل أَنتَ فَقال لا

تَظُنُّ بِأَنّي غَيرَ حُرٍّ وَماجِدِ

تَظُنُّ بِأَنّي غَيرَ حُرٍّ وَماجِدِ

I asked Generosity, “Are you...?” It said, “Do not

I asked the dew, "Are you not free?" It said, "No,

think that I am anything but free and noble.

Do not think I am less than free and glorious.

لِيَ المِنَّةُ الكُبرى عَلى الناسِ كُلِّهِم

لِيَ المِنَّةُ الكُبرى عَلى الناسِ كُلِّهِم

وَلَكِنَّني عَبدٌ لِيَحى بنُ خالِدِ

وَلَكِنَّني عَبدٌ لِيَحى بنُ خالِدِ

Mine is the greatest favor bestowed upon all people,

I have great favor over all people,

yet I am a slave to Yahya ibn Khalid.”

Yet I am a slave to Yahya ibn Khalid.

فَقُلتُ شِراءَ قالَ لا بَل وِراثَةً

فَقُلتُ شِراءَ قالَ لا بَل وِراثَةً

عَنِ الجودِ عَن جَدلِهِم عَنِ مَحامِدِ

عَنِ الجودِ عَن جَدلِهِم عَنِ مَحامِدِ

So I said, “By purchase?” It said, “No, rather by inheritance,

I said, "By purchase?" It said, "No, but by inheritance

from generosity, from their disputation, from praiseworthy deeds.

From generosity, from their nobility, from their praise."

فَما أَنا إِلّا عَبدُهُ وَاِبنُ عَبدِهِ

فَما أَنا إِلّا عَبدُهُ وَاِبنُ عَبدِهِ

تَوارَثَني عَن والِدٍ بَعدَ والِدِ

تَوارَثَني عَن والِدٍ بَعدَ والِدِ

For I am nothing but his slave and the son of his slave;

So I am but his slave, the son of his slave,

he inherited me from father after father.”

Inheriting from father to father endlessly.