أَقولُ لِركب قافِلين رَأَيتَهُم

أَقولُ لِركب قافِلين رَأَيتَهُم

قِفا ذات أو شال وَمَولاك قارِب

قِفا ذات أو شال وَمَولاك قارِب

I say to homeward-bound riders whom I saw

I say to a caravan I saw them stopping,

Behind Dhāt Awshāl, with your client drawing near:

Whether early or late, and your destination is near.

قَفوا خبروني عَن سُلَيمان إِنَّني

قَفوا خبروني عَن سُلَيمان إِنَّني

لِمَعروفِه من آل وَدّان طالِب

لِمَعروفِه من آل وَدّان طالِب

Stop! Tell me of Sulayman, for I am

Stop and tell me about Suleiman, for I

A seeker of his bounty, one of Waddān’s people.

Seek his favors, being of his family and kinsmen.

فَعاجوا فَاِثنوا بِالَّذي انتَ اهلِه

فَعاجوا فَاِثنوا بِالَّذي انتَ اهلِه

وَلَو سَكَتوا اِثنت عَلَيكَ الحَقائِب

وَلَو سَكَتوا اِثنت عَلَيكَ الحَقائِب

So they turned aside and praised you as you deserve;

They hesitated, then praised the one you deserve,

Even had they kept silent, their saddlebags would have praised you.

Even if they stayed silent, the saddles would have praised you.

فَقالوا تَرَكناهُ وَفي كل لَيلَة

فَقالوا تَرَكناهُ وَفي كل لَيلَة

يَطيفُ بِهِ من طالِبي العُرفِ راكِب

يَطيفُ بِهِ من طالِبي العُرفِ راكِب

Then they said: We left him, and every night

We left him while each night

A rider among the seekers of bounty visits him.

A seeker of favors rides to visit him.

وَلَو كانَ فَوقَ الناسِ حَيّ فعالَه

وَلَو كانَ فَوقَ الناسِ حَيّ فعالَه

كَفعلِكَ او لِلفِعل مِنهُ يُقارِب

كَفعلِكَ او لِلفِعل مِنهُ يُقارِب

And if there were a living man above all others whose deeds

Had he been alive and acted as you do,

Were like yours, or even came close to them,

Or done deeds that resemble yours,

لَقُلنا لَهُ شِبه وَلكِن تَعذَّرت

لَقُلنا لَهُ شِبه وَلكِن تَعذَّرت

سَواكَ عَلى المُستَشفِعين المَطالِب

سَواكَ عَلى المُستَشفِعين المَطالِب

We would say he had a peer; yet beyond reach,

We would have said he resembles you, but none

Except through you, are the wishes of those seeking intercession.

Other than you gratifies those seeking favors.

هُو البَدر وَالناسُ الكَواكِب حَولَه

هُو البَدر وَالناسُ الكَواكِب حَولَه

وَهَل تشبِه البَدر المُنيرِ الكَواكِب

وَهَل تشبِه البَدر المُنيرِ الكَواكِب

He is the full moon, and the people are the stars around him;

He is the moon while people are stars around him,

Can the stars resemble the shining full moon?

And can the bright moon be compared to stars?