رَفَعتُI raised يَديmy hand أَستَوهِبُI ask for a gift اللَهَGod صِحَّةًhealth
رَفَعتُ يَدي أَستَوهِبُ اللَهَ صِحَّةً
لِخَيرِfor the finest إِمامٍimam سالِكٍfollowing فيin التُقىpiety نَهجاa path
لِخَيرِ إِمامٍ سالِكٍ في التُقى نَهجا
I raised my hand, asking God to grant good health
To the finest imam, who follows a path of piety.
فَقُلتُso I said وَقَدand already طالَتhad grown long مِنَfrom الهَمِّworry لَيلَتيmy night
فَقُلتُ وَقَد طالَت مِنَ الهَمِّ لَيلَتي
وَإِشفاقُand the apprehension of نَفسيmy soul فيamid الأَمانِيِّthe hopes قَدhad لَجّاgrown insistent
وَإِشفاقُ نَفسي في الأَمانِيِّ قَد لَجّا
So I said, as my night had grown long with worry,
And my soul's apprehension had grown insistent amid its hopes:
تَغافَلturn a blind eye لَناfor our sake ياO دَهرُTime عَنto نَفسِthe life of أَحمَدٍAhmad
تَغافَل لَنا يا دَهرُ عَن نَفسِ أَحمَدٍ
فَماfor there is no بَعدَهُafter him لِلمُلكِfor kingship حِصنٌfortress وَلاnor مَلجاrefuge
فَما بَعدَهُ لِلمُلكِ حِصنٌ وَلا مَلجا
Spare Ahmad's life, O Time, for our sake;
For after him, kingship has neither fortress nor refuge.
أَلاah رُبَّmany a يَومٍday قَدindeed سَراهُhe traversed it مُجاهِدٌa warrior
أَلا رُبَّ يَومٍ قَد سَراهُ مُجاهِدٌ
فَأَغرىthen he urged on مَطاياmounts الفَرشِthe bedding وَاِستَمهَدَand he took as a bed السَرجاthe saddle
فَأَغرى مَطايا الفَرشِ وَاِستَمهَدَ السَرجا
Ah, many a day has this warrior traversed,
Then urged on the bedding-laden mounts and made the saddle his bed.