حيت سفرتي من نداك المديد

حيت سفرتي من نداك المديد

وخيل البريد منى المستزيد

وخيل البريد منى المستزيد

My journey came to life through your far-reaching bounty.

When my journey took me far from your outstretched hand

And the post-horses are the hopes of one seeking more.

And the post horses carried me further away

فيا لك خانية بابها

فيا لك خانية بابها

إلى الشامِ يفضي لباب البريد

إلى الشامِ يفضي لباب البريد

So, what an inn—its door

Oh house of the courier, whose door

leads to al-Sham, to Bab al-Barid.

Opens onto Damascus, the door of the post

يقول بنيّ إذا ما منحت

يقول بنيّ إذا ما منحت

أسيدَنا دُمْ لهذي العبيد

أسيدَنا دُمْ لهذي العبيد

My sons say, whenever you bestow gifts:

My sons say, if our master would grant

“O our master, live on for these slaves;

Blood to these slaves

بوالدِنا غيبة يا له

بوالدِنا غيبة يا له

حبيباً لهم غائباً عن وليد

حبيباً لهم غائباً عن وليد

our father is away!” Ah, how

In the absence of our father, oh if only

dear he is to them, absent from a newborn child!

He had a loving one absent from his child

ويشتاقُ أبناؤه والبنات

ويشتاقُ أبناؤه والبنات

وصاحبة البيت بيت القصيد

وصاحبة البيت بيت القصيد

And his sons and daughters yearn for him,

His children and daughters long for him

and the lady of the house—the poem’s central verse.

As does the lady of the house, home of poetry

نأى بيتها ونأى ذهنه

نأى بيتها ونأى ذهنه

كما قد نأى عنهُ بيت النشيد

كما قد نأى عنهُ بيت النشيد

Her home has grown distant, and so has his mind,

Her home is far, and his mind is far

just as a verse of song has grown distant from him.

As the home of verse has gone far from him

فغِث وأغث مغرماً وابْقَ ذا

فغِث وأغث مغرماً وابْقَ ذا

نوالٍ بسيطٍ وفضلٍ مديد

نوالٍ بسيطٍ وفضلٍ مديد

So bring relief and rescue a lovesick man, and remain endowed with

Come to the aid of a passionate lover, and come to the aid

ample bounty and far-reaching favor.

Of one accustomed to simple plenty and abundant merit