1. يا راكب اللي ماضياً لَو تجاريب

    حرا مَعنى يقطَع الدو حايل

    O rider of the mount, long proven in trials,

    A purebred, seasoned she-camel crossing the waste, bearing no young;

  2. اشقح شَراري ما يَهاب المَطاليب

    عَفواً اليا مازال حر القَوايل

    A reddish-white Sharari, undaunted by demanding errands,

    Fresh and unwearied while the noonday heat still lasts;

  3. إِن شم صَهب الدوح أَذرَح من الذيب

    يَجزيك عن سَرد المَهارة الأَصايل

    If it scents the tawny groves, it is swifter than the wolf,

    It serves you in place of a string of purebred colts;

  4. مثل الظَليم إِن خف بِالقاع بِالطيب

    يَنكح عَن اللي راكبين السَلايل

    Like a male ostrich running lightly and willingly across the plain,

    It pulls away from those riding purebred steeds.

  5. انسف عليه اللي يربح الرواكيب

    الميركة وَالكور من شغل حايل

    Throw onto it gear that outshines other saddle-rigs:

    The saddle cushion and camel-saddle, crafted in Ha'il;

  6. وَخرجا عقيلي راقمينو الرَعابيب

    وَمكلفينو بالودع وَالشَلايل

    And an Uqayli saddlebag embroidered by graceful maidens,

    And adorned by them with cowries and tassels.

  7. زَهب عليه الدَرب مابو مَعالايب

    الترك ما مِنهُم كَريماً يسايل

    Make ready to travel on it; there are no hindrances;

    There is no generous man among the Turks to appeal to.

  8. يا راكبو دُونك وَخذلي مَكاتيب

    مني مَعنى لاخمات الدَبايل

    O you who ride it, here—take letters for me,

    From me, addressed to the quencher of burning anguish:

  9. الليث أَبو سليمان حر المَراقيب

    ريف اليَتامى بِالسنين المحايل

    The lion Abu Sulayman, falcon of the lookout heights,

    A source of plenty for orphans in the years of drought;

  10. زبن المجنا لا بغون الطَواليب

    عده بعيطه عِند عز الدَخايل

    A refuge for offenders when claimants pursue them,

    Count on him at a shout when the honor of those seeking refuge is at stake.

  11. يا زير يا مَروي حُدود المحاديب

    يا ندب يا وافي الشيم وَالخَصايل

    O champion, O slaker of the edges of curved swords,

    O gallant one, perfect in noble traits and virtues;

  12. يا ليث ياللي ما تداني الزواريب

    يا كاسب النوماس يوم الهَوايل

    O lion, you who keep clear of crooked byways,

    O winner of honor on the day of terrors;

  13. يا شيخ بحر يا كَريم المَواجيب

    يا فَرز يا حر النَفس وَالشَمايل

    O sheikh, a sea of generosity, lavish in hospitality,

    O paragon, noble in soul and character.

  14. هاذي سَوالف ناصبين المَلاعيب

    تقاعدوا بِهِ ناكرين الجَمايل

    These are tales of those who devise tricks,

    They sat together over it, denying past kindnesses;

  15. خلوا شَظانا مثل غيم الشَناغيب

    وَتقاطعونا بين غجا سَفايل

    They left our fragments like clouds over craggy peaks,

    And parcelled us out among coarse, lowly rabble.

  16. ضعنا ببر الترك مثل الذَواهيب

    وَالكُل مِنا في وَطنهم ذَلايل

    We were lost in Turkish lands like wandering strays,

    And every one of us is humiliated in their homeland.

  17. عَجزت فكاري عن جَميع الدَواليب

    وَقصرت شباري عن جَميع المَسايل

    My thoughts proved helpless before all the schemes,

    And my handspans fell short in every matter.

  18. يا شيخ ما هي بالحيل وَالأَساليب

    حنا ببر الترك خرسا هبايل

    O sheikh, this is no matter for tricks and stratagems,

    In Turkish lands, we are mute fools.

  19. ما رانَت وَقع وَاترك الخُوف وَالعيب

    وَعزك فراق الترك خبث العَمايل

    Whenever an opening comes, strike; leave fear and shame behind,

    And your honor lies in leaving the Turks, foul in their deeds.

  20. لعابة الضامي يواسوا مَناصيب

    وَالفَرز بالرقع عَلى الشاه صايل

    The draughts players arrange their positions,

    And the queen on the boards charges at the king.

  21. راوَدَت نَفسي عاجميع التَداريب

    ما شُفت غَير الرُوس يَشفو الغَلايل

    I reasoned with myself over every stratagem,

    I saw none but the Russians who could cool burning resentment.

  22. قراب المشاحي لا بغينا التَساريب

    إِن هَب ريح بيوم واحد نهايل

    The boats are near if we wish to slip away,

    If a wind blows, in a single day we arrive.

  23. من دُون باب الرُوم مالي مَهاريب

    وَمِن غير سُفن البَحر مالي زَمايل

    Except through the gate of Rum, I have no way to flee,

    And I have no pack mounts but the ships of the sea.

  24. لَولا اليسق وَاسيت مثل التَغاريب

    شَديت للمر حال حيلا رَعايل

    Were it not for the ban, I would have made such journeys abroad,

    I would have saddled strings of she-camels carrying no young for departure.

  25. رَحَلنا عَلى شَقحا شناحا محاريب

    بِالليل نسري وَالعِدا بِالقوايل

    We set out on pale, towering mounts, grand as sanctuaries,

    We travel by night, the enemy at midday.

  26. أَما مرادي يقصروه الرَواقيب

    دَرب الهَزيمة للربوع القَلايل

    As for my aim, the watchmen thwart it,

    The road of flight is for small bands.

  27. وَحنا كثار وَدق مثل الدَباديب

    وَدار المعزة دونها مية حايل

    And we are many, with a din like drums,

    And a hundred barriers stand before the home of honor.

  28. صج السَلامي يم دار المزيريب

    أَما بِلادي عويلي وَالحَلايل

    Send my greeting toward the home at al-Muzayrib,

    As for my homeland—my family and wives are there.

  29. وَعن قَولتك دَرب الشمالي مَراهيب

    وَيروح كد النَفس من دُون طايل

    As for your saying the northern route is full of terrors,

    And that the soul's toil goes without gain,

  30. وَنذوق بالمرحال حر اللَواهيب

    وَنضيع بَين مخالطين الحَمايل

    And on the journey we taste the heat of flames,

    And we lose our way among mingled clans—

  31. أهون علي من التراك المجاديب

    تَغيب شَمسي بَين قَوماً بخايل

    These are easier for me than the miserly Turks,

    Than to have my sun set among a miserly people.

  32. مَن لا يدارك ما تَزود من الطيب

    وَمن لا يخاسر يا ضنا الجَود عايل

    Whoever fails to act in time gains no store of goodness,

    And whoever will not bear expense, O son of generosity, is at fault.

  33. مَقسوم لَك من غَير كره وَمَعاتيب

    يَأتيك من غير الكُتب وَالدَلايل

    What is allotted to you, without compulsion or reproach,

    Comes to you without documents or proofs.

  34. ياللَه يللي يقصدوك الطَواليب

    يا حي يا مَعبود كل القَبايل

    O God, to whom petitioners turn,

    O Ever-Living, O One worshipped by all the tribes;

  35. يا ضابط حساب الملا وَالدباديب

    يا رافع السَبعة الشداد الظَلايل

    O keeper of the reckoning of people and crawling creatures,

    O raiser of the seven mighty canopies;

  36. تَفكنا من بَعد هك التَغاريب

    وَتَظهر سَعدنا من طمان الخَمايل

    Free us after such wanderings abroad,

    And bring our good fortune out of the hollows of the thickets,

  37. بِالمُصطَفى المَبعوث يا عالم الغَيب

    وَالأَنبيا وَالتابعين الرَسايل

    By the Chosen One, sent forth, O Knower of the unseen,

    And the prophets, and the followers of the messages.