خُتِمتْ فَأرَةُ مِسكِ

خُتِمتْ فَأرَةُ مِسكِ

فَأَبتْ إلا التَّذكِّي

فَأَبتْ إلا التَّذكِّي

A pod of musk was sealed,

The musk pouch was sealed, yet still diffused its scent,

yet it insisted on giving off its fragrance.

Needing no one to vouch for its quality.

ليسَ يخفى فصْلُ ذِي الفَضْ

ليسَ يخفى فصْلُ ذِي الفَضْ

ل بزورٍ وبإفْكِ

ل بزورٍ وبإفْكِ

The distinction of one endowed with merit cannot be hidden

The excellence of the noble soul is never hidden,

by lies and falsehood.

Neither by lies nor false imputations.

والَّذي برَّزَ في الفض

والَّذي برَّزَ في الفض

لِ غنيٌّ عن مُزَكِّي

لِ غنيٌّ عن مُزَكِّي

And whoever has excelled in merit

The one whose virtue shone forth among the virtuous,

needs no one to vouch for him.

Has no need for anyone to attest to it.

ربَّما غُمَّ هِلالُ ال

ربَّما غُمَّ هِلالُ ال

فِطرِ في ليلةِ شَكِّ

فِطرِ في ليلةِ شَكِّ

Sometimes the crescent of

Sometimes the crescent moon is obscured on a cloudy night,

Fitr is obscured on a night of doubt.

Then it emerges, illuminating the entire horizon.

ثم جلَّى وجهَهُ النُّو

ثم جلَّى وجهَهُ النُّو

رُ فجلَّى كلَّ حَلْكِ

رُ فجلَّى كلَّ حَلْكِ

Then light revealed its face,

The back of the waves cannot be ridden without a boat,

and dispelled all darkness.

Nor can a necklace be strung without a thread.

إنَّ ظَهرَ اليَمِّ لا تَرْ

إنَّ ظَهرَ اليَمِّ لا تَرْ

كبُهُ من غَيرِ فُلْكِ

كبُهُ من غَيرِ فُلْكِ

Indeed, you cannot ride the surface of the sea

Pure gold cannot become jewelry until it is cast,

without a ship.

This sums up many parables - let whoever will, relate them.

ونِظامَ الدُّرِّ لا تَعْ

ونِظامَ الدُّرِّ لا تَعْ

قِدُهُ من غَيرِ سِلكِ

قِدُهُ من غَيرِ سِلكِ

Nor can you string a necklace of pearls

It invalidated all wishes of Yemeni, Syrian and Meccan,

without a thread.

It is made neither by an Ayni artisan nor woven by an Aqqi.

ليسَ يَصْفو الذَّهبُ الإب

ليسَ يَصْفو الذَّهبُ الإب

ريزُ إلا بعدَ سَبْكِ

ريزُ إلا بعدَ سَبْكِ

Fine gold does not become pure

until after smelting.

هذه جُملةُ أمثا

هذه جُملةُ أمثا

لٍ فمنْ شاء فَيَحْكي

لٍ فمنْ شاء فَيَحْكي

These are a collection of proverbs;

let whoever wishes recount them.

أبطلتْ كلَّ يمانيْ

أبطلتْ كلَّ يمانيْ

يٍ وشاميٍّ ومكِّي

يٍ وشاميٍّ ومكِّي

They have defeated every Yemeni,

and every Syrian and Meccan.

ليس ذا من صَوغِ عَيْ

ليس ذا من صَوغِ عَيْ

نيٍّ ولا من نسجِ عَكِّي

نيٍّ ولا من نسجِ عَكِّي

This is not of ʿAynī's fashioning,

nor of ʿAkkī's weaving.