قَالُوا أَتَيْتَ مُؤَخّراً

قَالُوا أَتَيْتَ مُؤَخّراً

فَأَجَبْتُ دارُ الخُلْدِ أُخْرَى

فَأَجَبْتُ دارُ الخُلْدِ أُخْرَى

They said, "You have come late."

They said, you came late

So I replied: The abode of eternity comes later.

But I replied, the abode of eternity is another

وخِتامُ كُلِّ الرُّسْل صَا

وخِتامُ كُلِّ الرُّسْل صَا

رَ ِمنَ الجَمِيع أَجَلَّ قَدْرا

رَ ِمنَ الجَمِيع أَجَلَّ قَدْرا

And the last of all the messengers

And the seal of all messengers was

became the most exalted of them all in rank.

The most honoured of all

وتَأَخُّرُ الأَسْحارِ صَيْ

وتَأَخُّرُ الأَسْحارِ صَيْ

يَرَهَا بوَصْفِ الفَضْلِ أَحْرَى

يَرَهَا بوَصْفِ الفَضْلِ أَحْرَى

And the lateness of the predawn hours

And the delay of daybreak is more beloved

made them worthier of being called excellent.

To describe it as superior

وَقْتُ الأَصِيل مَعَ التّأَخُّ

وَقْتُ الأَصِيل مَعَ التّأَخُّ

رِ يَفْضُلُ الأَوْقاتَ طُرّا

رِ يَفْضُلُ الأَوْقاتَ طُرّا

The time of late afternoon, despite its lateness,

The time of the genuine with the delay

surpasses all other times.

Excels all times fully

والخِنْصَرُ الصُّغْرَى عَلَتْ

والخِنْصَرُ الصُّغْرَى عَلَتْ

وتختَّمت تِبراً ودُرّا

وتختَّمت تِبراً ودُرّا

And the little finger, the smallest, was exalted

And the little sword prevailed

and wore rings of gold and pearls.

And was completed with goodness and pearls

وتَرَى السِّنَانَ وإن تَأَخَّ

وتَرَى السِّنَانَ وإن تَأَخَّ

رَ في الرِّماح يُعَدُّ صَدْرَا

رَ في الرِّماح يُعَدُّ صَدْرَا

And you see the spearhead, though it comes later,

And you see the spear, though delayed

reckoned as the front of the spears.

In the spears is still considered foremost

سَبَقَ الهِلالُ البَدْرَ لَ

سَبَقَ الهِلالُ البَدْرَ لَ

كِنْ لم يَصِرْ بالسَّبْقِ بَدْرا

كِنْ لم يَصِرْ بالسَّبْقِ بَدْرا

The crescent preceded the full moon,

The crescent preceded the full moon

but did not become a full moon by coming first.

But did not become full moon by preceding