هذه الدَّارُ ما عسى أن تكونا

هذه الدَّارُ ما عسى أن تكونا

فاقضِ فيها لها عَليك دُيونا

فاقضِ فيها لها عَليك دُيونا

This dwelling—what might it be?

This abode - what might it become,

So repay here the debts you owe it.

So fulfill in it what is due from you,

كانَ عهدي بها ومن كانَ فيها

كانَ عهدي بها ومن كانَ فيها

أشرَقَتْ ولانتْ غصونا

أشرَقَتْ ولانتْ غصونا

When I knew it, and those who dwelt within it,

My covenant with it was when it contained

it shone, and its boughs were supple.

Branches that shone and bent down.

يا دياراً عَهِدتُها قبلَ هذا

يا دياراً عَهِدتُها قبلَ هذا

جنَّةً أزْلِفَتْ وحوراً وعِينا

جنَّةً أزْلِفَتْ وحوراً وعِينا

O dwellings that I knew before this,

O abode that I knew before this,

a paradise brought near, with fair, wide-eyed maidens!

A paradise drawn near with houris and springs,

كنتِ للشادن الأَغنّ كناساً

كنتِ للشادن الأَغنّ كناساً

مثلما كنتِ للهزبر عرينا

مثلما كنتِ للهزبر عرينا

You were a covert for the nasal-voiced young gazelle,

You were to the happy and wealthy a goblet

just as you were a den for the lion.

Just as you were to the devout a nest.

قَد وقفنا على بقايا رسومٍ

قَد وقفنا على بقايا رسومٍ

دارساتٍ كأسطرٍ قد مُحينا

دارساتٍ كأسطرٍ قد مُحينا

We have stood over the remnants of traces,

We stood upon the ruins of dwellings

effaced, like lines of writing wiped away.

Whose contours were like erased lines,

فبذلنا لها ذخائر دمعٍ

فبذلنا لها ذخائر دمعٍ

كانَ لولا الوقوف فيها مصونا

كانَ لولا الوقوف فيها مصونا

So we spent upon it our hoarded tears,

So we shed for it treasures of tears,

which, but for standing there, would have stayed preserved.

Which had they not stopped would be guarded.

ذكَّرتْنا الهوى وعهد التَّصابي

ذكَّرتْنا الهوى وعهد التَّصابي

فذكرنا من عهدها ما نسينا

فذكرنا من عهدها ما نسينا

It reminded us of love and the days of youthful dalliance,

It reminded us of love and the pact of companionship

and we recalled what we had forgotten of its past.

So we remembered what we forgot of its era,

هلْ عَجِبْتُمْ والحبُّ أمرٌ عجيبٌ

هلْ عَجِبْتُمْ والحبُّ أمرٌ عجيبٌ

كيفَ يَستعذبُ العذابَ المهينا

كيفَ يَستعذبُ العذابَ المهينا

Have you marveled—love is a wondrous thing—

Are you surprised - for love is a wondrous thing -

at how it finds humiliating torment sweet?

How it makes anguish taste sweet?

أو سألتم بعد النوى عن فؤادي

أو سألتم بعد النوى عن فؤادي

فسَلوا الظاعنين والنازحينا

فسَلوا الظاعنين والنازحينا

Or have you asked about my heart after separation?

Or did you ask, after resolve, about my heart

Then ask those departing and those far away.

Then ask the passionate and the emigrating,

وبنفسي أحبَّة يومَ بانوا

وبنفسي أحبَّة يومَ بانوا

حَرَّموا النومَ أنْ يمَسَّ الجفونا

حَرَّموا النومَ أنْ يمَسَّ الجفونا

My life be ransom for loved ones who, the day they left,

And by my soul, the day they left

forbade sleep from touching the eyelids.

They forbade sleep to touch my eyelids,

عَرَّضوا حين أعرضوا ثمَّ قالوا

عَرَّضوا حين أعرضوا ثمَّ قالوا

قَدْ فتنَّاك في الغرامِ فتونا

قَدْ فتنَّاك في الغرامِ فتونا

They dropped hints as they turned away, then said:

When they turned away they said

We have sorely tried you in love.

"We have tempted you with love's trials,"

إنْ أطلنا الحنينَ شوقاً إليكم

إنْ أطلنا الحنينَ شوقاً إليكم

فعلى الصَّبِّ أنْ يطيل الحنينا

فعلى الصَّبِّ أنْ يطيل الحنينا

If we prolonged our longing out of yearning for you,

If we prolong yearning out of longing for you

the love-stricken must prolong his longing.

Then it is for enduring to prolong the yearning,

ربَّ ورقاءَ غَرَّدَتْ فشجتني

ربَّ ورقاءَ غَرَّدَتْ فشجتني

وكذاك الحزين يشجي الحزينا

وكذاك الحزين يشجي الحزينا

Many a gray dove has sung and stirred my grief;

The warbler sang, so it cracked me,

and so the sorrowful grieve the sorrowful.

Just as the sorrowful person cracks the sorrowful,

رَدَّدَتْ نَوحَها فردَّدت منِّي

رَدَّدَتْ نَوحَها فردَّدت منِّي

زفرةً تصدع الحشا وأنينا

زفرةً تصدع الحشا وأنينا

She repeated her lament and drew from me in reply

It echoed its lament, so I echoed from me

a sigh that cleaves the heart, and a moan.

A moan that splits mountainsides and groans,

ردِّدي ما استطعت أيَّتها الوُرْقُ

ردِّدي ما استطعت أيَّتها الوُرْقُ

شجوناً من الأَسى ولحونا

شجوناً من الأَسى ولحونا

Repeat, as much as you can, O gray doves,

Echo, O leaves, what you can

sorrowful strains of grief, and melodies.

Of sorrows of grief and melodies,

وأعيدي شكوى الغرام عَلَيْنا

وأعيدي شكوى الغرام عَلَيْنا

واجهدي لا شقيتِ أنْ تسعدينا

واجهدي لا شقيتِ أنْ تسعدينا

And repeat to us love's lament;

And repeat to us the plaint of passion,

strive—may you never suffer—to join us in mourning.

And strain yourself - you have not brought joy to us,

لو شكوناك ما بنا لشرحنا

لو شكوناك ما بنا لشرحنا

لكِ من لوعة الغرامِ متونا

لكِ من لوعة الغرامِ متونا

Had we complained to you of what ails us, we would have expounded

Had we complained to you of the malady of passion that afflicted us

to you volumes on love's burning anguish.

We would have unloaded onto you its burdens,

ما أطعنا اللُّوَّامَ والحبُّ يأبى

ما أطعنا اللُّوَّامَ والحبُّ يأبى

أنْ يطيعَ المتيَّمُ الَّلائمينا

أنْ يطيعَ المتيَّمُ الَّلائمينا

We have not obeyed the reproachers, and love refuses

We do not obey censurers while love refuses

to let the enthralled lover obey those who blame.

That the enamored obey the blamers,

لهف نفسي على مراشف ألْمى

لهف نفسي على مراشف ألْمى

أوْدَعَ الثغرَ منه داراً ثمينا

أوْدَعَ الثغرَ منه داراً ثمينا

How my soul longs for a dusky-lipped beloved's lips,

My soul yearns for the pillows of my pain

who placed a precious dwelling in his mouth.

It has made my cheek a precious abode,

لانَ عطفاً مهفهفُ القدِّ قاسٍ

لانَ عطفاً مهفهفُ القدِّ قاسٍ

كلَّما زادَ قسوةً زدْتُ لينا

كلَّما زادَ قسوةً زدْتُ لينا

He was supple of flank, slender of figure, yet cruel;

The beloved’s tender bending branch is harsh

the harsher he grew, the gentler I became.

The more harshness increases the more gentleness I show,

يا شفائي من عِلَّةٍ بَرَّحَتْ بي

يا شفائي من عِلَّةٍ بَرَّحَتْ بي

إنَّ في القلبِ منك داءً دفينا

إنَّ في القلبِ منك داءً دفينا

O my cure for an illness that tormented me,

My remedy from an ailment that has relieved me,

within my heart lies a hidden sickness caused by you.

Indeed, in my heart from you is a hidden sickness,

يا ترى تجمع المقادير ما كانَ

يا ترى تجمع المقادير ما كانَ

وأنَّى لنا بها أنْ تكونا

وأنَّى لنا بها أنْ تكونا

I wonder: will the fates reunite what once was?

I wonder, will the decrees bring back what is gone?

And how could they make it come to pass for us?

And how can we attain it?

في ليالٍ أمضيتُها بعناق

في ليالٍ أمضيتُها بعناق

لا يظنُّ المريب فينا الظنونا

لا يظنُّ المريب فينا الظنونا

In nights I spent in an embrace,

Nights I spent in intimate embrace,

the suspicious entertained no suspicions of us.

The suspicious cannot think ill thoughts of us,

فرَّقَتْنا أيدي النوى فافترقنا

فرَّقَتْنا أيدي النوى فافترقنا

ورمينا ببَيْنها وابتلينا

ورمينا ببَيْنها وابتلينا

The hands of separation sundered us, and we parted;

The resolve of fate separated us, so we parted,

we were assailed by its estrangement and sorely tried.

And we were tested by separation.

بينَ شرقٍ ومغربٍ نَنْتَحيه

بينَ شرقٍ ومغربٍ نَنْتَحيه

فشمالاً طوراً وطوراً يمينا

فشمالاً طوراً وطوراً يمينا

Between east and a west toward which we make our way,

Between an East and West we roam,

now leftward, and now rightward.

At times northwards and at times southwards,

أسعدَ الله فِرقَةَ العزِّ لمَّا

أسعدَ الله فِرقَةَ العزِّ لمَّا

كانَ عبد الرحمن فيها خدينا

كانَ عبد الرحمن فيها خدينا

May God gladden the company of honor, when

May God prosper the separation of honor when

Abd al-Rahman was its companion.

Abdul Rahman was among us, effacing himself,

قدَّمتْه الولاةُ واتَّخذته

قدَّمتْه الولاةُ واتَّخذته

في الملمَّات صاحباً ومعينا

في الملمَّات صاحباً ومعينا

The governors advanced him and took him

The governors advanced him and took him as

as a companion and helper in calamities.

A companion and ally in grave affairs,

واستَمدَّتْ من رأيه فَلَقَ الصُّبحِ

واستَمدَّتْ من رأيه فَلَقَ الصُّبحِ

بَياناً منه وعلماً رصينا

بَياناً منه وعلماً رصينا

From his counsel they drew the breaking light of dawn,

And they drew from his enlightened opinion at daybreak

clarity from him, and well-grounded knowledge.

An elucidation and established knowledge from him,

جَذَبَ النَّاسَ بالجميل إليه

جَذَبَ النَّاسَ بالجميل إليه

وحباهم بفضله أجمعينا

وحباهم بفضله أجمعينا

He drew people to himself through kindness,

He attracted people through his kindness,

and bestowed his bounty upon them all.

And endowed them all with his merit,

فرأتْ ما يَسُرُّها من كريمٍ

فرأتْ ما يَسُرُّها من كريمٍ

من سُراة الأَشراف والأَنجبينا

من سُراة الأَشراف والأَنجبينا

Thus they saw what delighted them in a generous man,

She saw what delighted her of a generous man

one of the foremost nobles and men of excellence.

From the nobility of nobles and best of men.

شِيَمٌ عن إبائه في المعالي

شِيَمٌ عن إبائه في المعالي

أسلَكَتْه طريقها المسنونا

أسلَكَتْه طريقها المسنونا

Traits born of his high-mindedness in lofty pursuits

Traits from his dignified father,

led him along their established path.

Who set him upon his established path,

تَستَحيل الحزونُ فيه سهُولاً

تَستَحيل الحزونُ فيه سهُولاً

بعدَ ما كانت السهول حزونا

بعدَ ما كانت السهول حزونا

Through him, rough ground turns into plains,

The anguished through him become secure,

after the plains had been rough ground.

After security became anguish.

ويهون الأَمر العظيمُ لديه

ويهون الأَمر العظيمُ لديه

وحَرِيٌّ بمثلِهِ أنْ يهونا

وحَرِيٌّ بمثلِهِ أنْ يهونا

Even a mighty undertaking grows easy for him,

And the great matter becomes simple through him,

and with one such as he, it ought to grow easy.

And it is fitting that one like him makes easy,

زانَ ما شان في حوادث شتَّى

زانَ ما شان في حوادث شتَّى

ومحا ما يشين في ما يزينا

ومحا ما يشين في ما يزينا

He adorned what was marred in diverse calamities,

He piloted various events skillfully,

and effaced every blemish in what he beautifies.

And erased what disgraces the adorned.

فإذا قستُه بأَبناء عَصري

فإذا قستُه بأَبناء عَصري

كانَ أعلى كعباً وأندى يمينا

كانَ أعلى كعباً وأندى يمينا

When I measured him against the men of my age,

So if I judge him against the men of my time,

he was loftiest in standing and most generous of hand.

He is higher in status and purer of hand,

قد وَجَدْناك والرِّجال ضروبٌ

قد وَجَدْناك والرِّجال ضروبٌ

والتجاريبُ تظهرُ المكنونا

والتجاريبُ تظهرُ المكنونا

We have found you—men are of many kinds,

We have found you when men are of different sorts,

and trials reveal what is hidden—

And trials reveal the hidden,

عروةٌ من عُرا السَّعادة وثقى

عروةٌ من عُرا السَّعادة وثقى

قد وثقنا بها وحبلاً متينا

قد وثقنا بها وحبلاً متينا

a most secure handhold among happiness's handholds,

A stronghold of the ropes of good fortune, we have trusted it,

in which we have trusted, and a sturdy rope.

And a firm rope,

هذه النَّاس منذ جئتَ إليها

هذه النَّاس منذ جئتَ إليها

زَجَرَتْ منك طائراً ميمونا

زَجَرَتْ منك طائراً ميمونا

These people, ever since you came to them,

Since you came to them, this people

have divined an auspicious bird-omen from you.

Have been protected by you from ill omens,

كلّ أرضٍ تحلُّها كانَ أهلو

كلّ أرضٍ تحلُّها كانَ أهلو

ها بما ترتجيه مستبشرينا

ها بما ترتجيه مستبشرينا

In every land you settle, its people have been

Every land you settle, its inhabitants

rejoicing in what you hope for.

Receive you optimistically,

وإذا رُوِّعَتْ ومثلُك فيها

وإذا رُوِّعَتْ ومثلُك فيها

أصبحوا في ديارهم آمنينا

أصبحوا في ديارهم آمنينا

And if it is alarmed, with one like you within it,

And if it is terrified, and you are in it,

they find themselves safe in their homes.

They become safe in their abodes.

يا شريفَ الأَخلاق وابنَ شريفٍ

يا شريفَ الأَخلاق وابنَ شريفٍ

أشرفَ النَّاس أثبتَ النَّاس دينا

أشرفَ النَّاس أثبتَ النَّاس دينا

O noble in character, son of a noble man,

O noble of character, son of a noble—

noblest of people, firmest of people in faith,

The noblest of people, firmest of faith,

أحمِدُ الله أن رأتكَ عيوني

أحمِدُ الله أن رأتكَ عيوني

فرأتْ ما يَقُرُّ فيك العيونا

فرأتْ ما يَقُرُّ فيك العيونا

I praise God that my eyes have seen you,

I thank God that my eyes saw you,

and seen in you what gladdens the eyes.

For they saw what settles the eyes,

وشَمَمْنا من عَرف ذاتك طيباً

وشَمَمْنا من عَرف ذاتك طيباً

فكأنِّي إذ ذاك في دارينا

فكأنِّي إذ ذاك في دارينا

We inhaled a perfume from the fragrance of your person,

And we sensed from knowing you a goodness,

as though I were then in Darin.

As if I, when this occurred, am in our two abodes,

وَوَرَدْنا نداك عذباً فراتاً

وَوَرَدْنا نداك عذباً فراتاً

إنَّما أنتَ منهلُ الواردينا

إنَّما أنتَ منهلُ الواردينا

We came to your bounty, sweet and refreshing;

And we attained your fresh sweet stream,

you are the very watering place of those who come to drink.

You are but the water-spring of those arriving,

لك في الصالحات ما سوفَ يبقى

لك في الصالحات ما سوفَ يبقى

ذكرها في الجميل حيناً فحينا

ذكرها في الجميل حيناً فحينا

You have righteous deeds that will endure,

You have in righteous deeds what will remain,

their memory praised, time after time.

Its remembrance in beauty now and then,

حُزتَ فهماً وفطنةً وذكاءً

حُزتَ فهماً وفطنةً وذكاءً

وتَفَنَّنْتَ في الأُمور فنونا

وتَفَنَّنْتَ في الأُمور فنونا

You have gained understanding, discernment, and intelligence,

You were granted insight, intelligence, and brilliance,

and shown varied skills in handling affairs.

And you were excellent in diverse affairs,

وتولَّيتَ في الحقيقة أمراً

وتولَّيتَ في الحقيقة أمراً

كانَ من لطفه المهيمن فينا

كانَ من لطفه المهيمن فينا

You have, in truth, taken charge of a task

You undertook truthfully a matter

that was a kindness to us from the All-Overseeing.

That was under the subtle overseer among us,

سيرة ترتضى جُبِلَتْ عليها

سيرة ترتضى جُبِلَتْ عليها

ومزايا ترضي بها العالمينا

ومزايا ترضي بها العالمينا

An approved way of life, ingrained in your nature,

An exemplary conduct formed your core,

and virtues with which you please all people.

And merits that satisfy both worlds,

فاهنأ بالصَّوم والمثوبة فيه

فاهنأ بالصَّوم والمثوبة فيه

وجزيل الصِّيام في الصَّائمينا

وجزيل الصِّيام في الصَّائمينا

So rejoice in fasting and the reward it brings,

So delight in fasting and its reward,

and fasting's rich bounty among those who fast,

And abundant fasting of those who fast,

وبعيدٍ يعودُ في كلِّ عامٍ

وبعيدٍ يعودُ في كلِّ عامٍ

لكَ بالخيرِ كافلاً وضمينا

لكَ بالخيرِ كافلاً وضمينا

and in a feast returning every year,

And a holiday that comes every year

pledging and guaranteeing goodness for you.

Returning to you with bounty and care,