راحَت فَصَحَّ بِها السَقيم

راحَت فَصَحَّ بِها السَقيم

ريحٌ مُعَطَّرَةُ النَسيم

ريحٌ مُعَطَّرَةُ النَسيم

It wafted in, and through it the sick grew well—

The fragrant gentle breeze brought relief to the ailing,

a wind of fragrant breath.

A breeze, perfumed and pleasant.

مَقبولَةٌ هَبَّت قَبولاً

مَقبولَةٌ هَبَّت قَبولاً

فَهيَ تَعبَقُ في الشَميم

فَهيَ تَعبَقُ في الشَميم

A welcome wind, it blew from the east,

It blew kindly, acceptable,

and was fragrant when inhaled.

Its essence exudes fragrance.

أَفَضيضُ مِسكٍ أَم بَلَنسِيَةٌ

أَفَضيضُ مِسكٍ أَم بَلَنسِيَةٌ

لِرَيّاها نَميم

لِرَيّاها نَميم

Is it powdered musk, or Valencia,

Is it pure musk or sweet basil?

whose fragrance gives her away?

For its redolence, it is praised.

بَلَدٌ حَبيبٌ أُفقُهُ

بَلَدٌ حَبيبٌ أُفقُهُ

لِفَتىً يَحُلُّ بِهِ كَريم

لِفَتىً يَحُلُّ بِهِ كَريم

A city whose horizon is dear

A beloved land it is

because a noble young man dwells there.

For a noble youth who dwells in it.

أَيها أَبا عَبدِ الإِلَهِ

أَيها أَبا عَبدِ الإِلَهِ

دُعاءُ مَغلوبِ العَريم

دُعاءُ مَغلوبِ العَريم

O Abu Abd al-Ilah,

O father of Allah's servant,

a plea from one overcome by his adversary.

The prayer of the helpless and weak.

إِن عيلَ صَبري مِن فِراقِكَ

إِن عيلَ صَبري مِن فِراقِكَ

فَالعَذابُ بِهِ أَليم

فَالعَذابُ بِهِ أَليم

If my patience is exhausted by parting from you,

My patience at being apart from you

then the torment it brings is painful.

Is indeed painful torment.

أَو أَتبَعَتكَ حَنينَها

أَو أَتبَعَتكَ حَنينَها

نَفسي فَأَنتَ لَها قَسيم

نَفسي فَأَنتَ لَها قَسيم

Or if it sends its yearning after you—

If only my soul had followed you,

my soul—for you are its other half.

For it would have been your companion.

ذِكرى لِعَهدِكَ كَالسُهادِ

ذِكرى لِعَهدِكَ كَالسُهادِ

سَرى فَبَرَّحَ بِالسَليم

سَرى فَبَرَّحَ بِالسَليم

Remembrance of our days together is like sleeplessness

Memories of you are like necklaces

that steals in by night and torments the snake-bitten.

That bring joy when remembered.

مَهما ذَمَمتُ فَما زَماني

مَهما ذَمَمتُ فَما زَماني

في ذِمامِكَ بِالذَميم

في ذِمامِكَ بِالذَميم

However much I find fault, my time

No matter how much I blame it, my time

under your protection is not blameworthy.

Is worthless without you.

زَمَنٌ كَمَألوفِ الرَضاعِ

زَمَنٌ كَمَألوفِ الرَضاعِ

يَشوقُ ذِكراهُ الفَطيم

يَشوقُ ذِكراهُ الفَطيم

A time like familiar suckling,

A time, like a suckling infant,

whose memory makes the weaned child yearn:

Whose memory makes the weaned yearn.

أَيّامَ أَعقِدُ ناظِرَيَّ

أَيّامَ أَعقِدُ ناظِرَيَّ

بِذَلِكَ المَرأى الوَسيم

بِذَلِكَ المَرأى الوَسيم

the days when I fixed my eyes

I keep my eyes focused

upon that handsome sight,

On that handsome sight.

فَأَرى الفُتُوَّةَ غَضَّةً

فَأَرى الفُتُوَّةَ غَضَّةً

في ثَوبِ أَوّاهٍ حَليم

في ثَوبِ أَوّاهٍ حَليم

and saw youthful gallantry, fresh and tender,

I see chivalrous youth

in the robe of one devout and forbearing.

In the garb of mild patience.

أَللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّ حُبَّ

أَللَهُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّ حُبَّ

كَ مِن فُؤادي بِالصَميم

كَ مِن فُؤادي بِالصَميم

God knows that love

God knows that my love for you

for you lies at the very core of my heart.

Comes from the depths of my heart.

وَلَئِن تَحَمَّلَ عَنكَ لي

وَلَئِن تَحَمَّلَ عَنكَ لي

جِسمٌ فَعَن قَلبٍ مُقيم

جِسمٌ فَعَن قَلبٍ مُقيم

And though there has departed from you

If my body stayed away from you

a body of mine, it left behind a heart that stays.

My heart remained loyal.

قُل لي بِأَيِّ خِلالِ سَروِكَ

قُل لي بِأَيِّ خِلالِ سَروِكَ

قَبلُ أُفتَنُ أَو أَهيم

قَبلُ أُفتَنُ أَو أَهيم

Tell me, by which traits of your nobility

Tell me, by which of your graceful ways

am I first to be enchanted or lose myself in love?

Shall I be tempted or perplexed?

أَبِمَجدِكَ العَمَمِ الَّذي

أَبِمَجدِكَ العَمَمِ الَّذي

نَسَقَ الحَديثَ مَعَ القَديم

نَسَقَ الحَديثَ مَعَ القَديم

Is it by your lofty glory, which

Is it your glorious renown, which

has linked the new with the old?

Blended old tales and new?

أَم ظَرفِكَ الحُلوِ الجَنى

أَم ظَرفِكَ الحُلوِ الجَنى

أَم عِرضِكَ الصافي الأَديم

أَم عِرضِكَ الصافي الأَديم

Or by your charm, sweet in its fruit,

Or your sweet and beautiful charm?

or your honor, with its unblemished skin,

Or your clear and flawless dignity?

أَم بِرِّكِ العَذبِ الجَمامِ

أَم بِرِّكِ العَذبِ الجَمامِ

وَبِشرِكَ الغَضِّ الجَميم

وَبِشرِكَ الغَضِّ الجَميم

or your kindness, its waters sweet and full,

Or your refreshing and pure kindness?

and your welcome, its growth tender and lush?

And your tender and precious smile?

أَم بِالبَدائِعِ كَاللَآلِئِ

أَم بِالبَدائِعِ كَاللَآلِئِ

مِن نَثيرٍ أَو نَظيم

مِن نَثيرٍ أَو نَظيم

Or by marvels like pearls,

Or the striking novelties, like pearls

scattered as prose or strung as verse?

Scattered or strung symmetrically?

وَبَلاغَةٍ إِن عُدَّ أَهلوها

وَبَلاغَةٍ إِن عُدَّ أَهلوها

فَأَنتَ لَهُم زَعيم

فَأَنتَ لَهُم زَعيم

And by eloquence—if its masters are counted,

And the eloquence - if its people were counted,

then you are their leader.

You would be their champion.

فِقَرٌ تَسوغُ بِها المُدامُ

فِقَرٌ تَسوغُ بِها المُدامُ

إِذا تَكَرَّرَها النَديم

إِذا تَكَرَّرَها النَديم

Passages with which wine goes down smoothly

Poverty, which drinking companions

when the drinking companion repeats them.

Frequently make excuses for.

إِن أَشمَسَت تِلكَ الطَلاقَةُ

إِن أَشمَسَت تِلكَ الطَلاقَةُ

فَالنَدى مِنها مُقيم

فَالنَدى مِنها مُقيم

If that cheerful countenance shines like the sun,

If that wit shone forth,

its dew of generosity still abides.

Fresh dew would come from it.

إِنَّ الَّذي قَسَمَ الحُظوظَ

إِنَّ الَّذي قَسَمَ الحُظوظَ

حَباكَ بِالخُلُقِ العَظيم

حَباكَ بِالخُلُقِ العَظيم

Indeed, He who apportioned fortunes

He who apportions good fortune

endowed you with sublime character.

Has graced you with noble manners.

لا أَستَزيدُ اللَهَ نُعمى

لا أَستَزيدُ اللَهَ نُعمى

فيكَ لا بَل أَستَديم

فيكَ لا بَل أَستَديم

I ask God for no greater blessing

I do not ask God for more blessings through you,

in you—no, rather that it endure.

But rather, that He sustain it.

فَلَقَد أَقَرَّ العَينَ أَنَّكَ

فَلَقَد أَقَرَّ العَينَ أَنَّكَ

غُرَّةُ الزَمَنِ البَهيم

غُرَّةُ الزَمَنِ البَهيم

For it has gladdened my eye that you are

It brings joy to the eye that you

the white blaze on the brow of dark Time.

Are the foal of the stupid era.

حَسبي الثَناءُ لِحُسنِ بِرِّ

حَسبي الثَناءُ لِحُسنِ بِرِّ

كَ ما بَدا بَرقٌ فَشيم

كَ ما بَدا بَرقٌ فَشيم

Praise suffices me for the beauty of

Praising your excellent kindness is enough,

your kindness, as long as lightning flashes and is watched.

Like lightning that flashes brightly.

ثُمَّ الدُعاءُ بِأَن تَهَنَّأَ

ثُمَّ الدُعاءُ بِأَن تَهَنَّأَ

طولَ عَيشِكَ فو نَعيم

طولَ عَيشِكَ فو نَعيم

Then a prayer that you may be happy

Then praying that you live long,

throughout your life, in bliss.

And enjoy comfort and bliss.

ثُمَّ السَلامُ تُبَلَّغَنهُ

ثُمَّ السَلامُ تُبَلَّغَنهُ

فَغَيبُ مُهديهِ سَليم

فَغَيبُ مُهديهِ سَليم

Then peace—may it be conveyed to you—

Then greetings I shall convey to you,

for its sender's secret thoughts are pure.

Though the absent sender is safe.