أَطَيفٌ سَرى وَهناً مُتَيّما

أَطَيفٌ سَرى وَهناً مُتَيّما

أَمِ الرَوض بَكّاهُ الحيا فَتَبَسّما

أَمِ الرَوض بَكّاهُ الحيا فَتَبَسّما

Was it a love-stricken phantom that passed in the dead of night,

A gentle breeze blew by languidly,

or a garden that the rain made weep, then smile?

Did it make the garden weep, and the serpent smile?

أَنَفحَةُ وادي السِحر وافَت بِها الصَبا

أَنَفحَةُ وادي السِحر وافَت بِها الصَبا

سُحَيراً أَمِ المِسكُ الذَكيُّ تَنَسّما

سُحَيراً أَمِ المِسكُ الذَكيُّ تَنَسّما

Was it a waft from the valley of enchantment, borne by the east wind

The magical valley exhaled its scent,

just before dawn, or fragrant musk breathing forth?

Bewitching, was it musk so pure it breathed?

أَوردٌ جَنيٌّ أَم رِياضٌ أَريضَةٌ

أَوردٌ جَنيٌّ أَم رِياضٌ أَريضَةٌ

كَسَتها يَدُ الأَنواءِ وَشياً مُنَمنَما

كَسَتها يَدُ الأَنواءِ وَشياً مُنَمنَما

Was it freshly picked roses, or luxuriant gardens

A blossoming meadow, or gardens so fecund,

clothed by the hand of the seasonal rains in finely patterned brocade?

Their robe woven by the winds, patterned and ornate.

أَزهرُ سَماءٍ أَم أَزاهِرُ رَوضَةٍ

أَزهرُ سَماءٍ أَم أَزاهِرُ رَوضَةٍ

سَقَتها غَوادي المُزنِ سَجلاً عَلى الظَما

سَقَتها غَوادي المُزنِ سَجلاً عَلى الظَما

Was it heaven's blossoms, or the flowers of a garden

Flowers of the sky, or blossoms of a meadow,

that morning rainclouds watered with a brimming draught in their thirst?

Watered by vales of bliss, flowing on thirsty sands.

فَأَغصانُها اللدنُ الرِشاقُ تَراقَصَت

فَأَغصانُها اللدنُ الرِشاقُ تَراقَصَت

لِطَيرٍ عَلى هاماتِها قَد تَرَنَّما

لِطَيرٍ عَلى هاماتِها قَد تَرَنَّما

So its supple, slender boughs danced

Her pliant branches swayed gracefully,

to birds singing upon their crowns.

As birds perched on her crest trilled a melody.

أَمِ الشَمسُ في أَوجِ الكَمالِ مُنيرَةٌ

أَمِ الشَمسُ في أَوجِ الكَمالِ مُنيرَةٌ

أَمِ البَدرُ في أُفق السِيادَةِ قَد سَما

أَمِ البَدرُ في أُفق السِيادَةِ قَد سَما

Or was it the sun, radiant at perfection's zenith,

Was it the sun at its peak shining bright,

or the full moon risen high on sovereignty's horizon?

Or the moon rising to reign in its might?

أَبُشرى عَلى يَأسٍ أَوَعدٌ عَلى رَجا

أَبُشرى عَلى يَأسٍ أَوَعدٌ عَلى رَجا

فَلّلهِ ما أَحلى وَأَجلى وَأَكرَما

فَلّلهِ ما أَحلى وَأَجلى وَأَكرَما

Glad tidings amid despair? A promise amid hope?

Good tidings after despair, a promise after longing,

So, by God, how sweet, how radiant, how noble!

So beautiful, so majestic, so generous!

فَيا راكِباً إِمّا عرضت فَعُج إِلى

فَيا راكِباً إِمّا عرضت فَعُج إِلى

رُبا جِلَّقٍ لُقِّيتَ رُشداً مُيَمّما

رُبا جِلَّقٍ لُقِّيتَ رُشداً مُيَمّما

So, O rider, if you pass that way, turn toward

Oh wayfarer, if you stray, hurry

the hills of Jilliq—may you be granted guidance as you journey there!

To blessed waters, where you’ll find guidance.

وَعَرِّج بِواديها المُقَدَّسِ مُنشِداً

وَعَرِّج بِواديها المُقَدَّسِ مُنشِداً

فَيا حَبَّذا الوادي وَيا حَبَّذا الحِمى

فَيا حَبَّذا الوادي وَيا حَبَّذا الحِمى

And turn aside into its sacred valley, chanting:

And wander her sacred valley chanting psalms,

Ah, how lovely the valley, and how lovely the sanctuary!

Blessed is the valley, blessed is its sanctuary!

لَقَد حَلَّ قُطر الشام نورُ هِدايَةٍ

لَقَد حَلَّ قُطر الشام نورُ هِدايَةٍ

يَفوقُ سَنا لألائِهِ البَدرَ في السَما

يَفوقُ سَنا لألائِهِ البَدرَ في السَما

A light of guidance has indeed settled in the land of al-Sham,

The light of guidance from Damascus has shone,

whose radiant gleam outshines the full moon in the sky.

Outshining with its symbols the moon in the sky.

وَأَصبَحَتِ الأَرجاءُ تُزهى مُنيرَةً

وَأَصبَحَتِ الأَرجاءُ تُزهى مُنيرَةً

وَغُصنُ الأَماني بِالمَسَرَّةِ قَد نَما

وَغُصنُ الأَماني بِالمَسَرَّةِ قَد نَما

And the regions have grown radiant and resplendent,

The horizons now glow luminous,

and the bough of hopes has flourished with joy.

As the boughs of hopes bloom and burgeon high.

أَما تَنظرُ الغَنّاءُ أَبدَت مَلابِساً

أَما تَنظرُ الغَنّاءُ أَبدَت مَلابِساً

مِنَ النُورِ وَشّاها الرَبيعُ وَسَهَّما

مِنَ النُورِ وَشّاها الرَبيعُ وَسَهَّما

Do you not see? The verdant land has displayed garments

See the songbird don its raiment anew,

of light, embroidered and arrow-patterned by spring.

Adorned by spring in its vibrant hues.

وَباكرها الوَسميُّ يَنثُر لُؤلُؤاً

وَباكرها الوَسميُّ يَنثُر لُؤلُؤاً

مِنَ الطَلّ في سلك البَهاءِ تَنظّما

مِنَ الطَلّ في سلك البَهاءِ تَنظّما

And the first autumn rain visited it at dawn, scattering pearls

The vernal clouds scattering pearls at dawn,

of dew, strung on the thread of splendor.

Arranging strands of light, artful and wise.

وَغَنَّت بِدَوحِ النَيّرَبَينِ حَمائِمٌ

وَغَنَّت بِدَوحِ النَيّرَبَينِ حَمائِمٌ

فَجاوَبَها قَمريّ مُقري مَزمزَما

فَجاوَبَها قَمريّ مُقري مَزمزَما

And doves sang in al-Nayrabayn's spreading trees,

The doves sang at Dhu Al-Nayrain’s abode,

then a turtle-dove of Muqri answered them, warbling softly,

Answered by a moon, pure and solemn.

لِمَوطِئِ شَيخِ العَصرِ قاضي قُضاتِها

لِمَوطِئِ شَيخِ العَصرِ قاضي قُضاتِها

إِمامٌ لَدى أَعتابِهِ السَعدُ خَيّما

إِمامٌ لَدى أَعتابِهِ السَعدُ خَيّما

for the arrival of the age's master, its chief judge—

It is the dwelling of the sage of this age, judge of its judges,

an imam at whose thresholds good fortune has pitched its tent.

A noble Imam, before whom fortune camps.

أَريبٌ مهيبٌ لَوذَعيٌّ مُهَذَّبٌ

أَريبٌ مهيبٌ لَوذَعيٌّ مُهَذَّبٌ

كَريمُ نَداه يُخجل الغَيثَ إِن هَمى

كَريمُ نَداه يُخجل الغَيثَ إِن هَمى

Discerning, awe-inspiring, quick-witted, refined,

Majestic, revered, refined and virtuous,

generous—his bounty shames the rain when it pours.

Generous his voice, shaming the rain if it held back.

غَياثٌ لِمَلهوفٍ أَمانٌ لِخائِفٍ

غَياثٌ لِمَلهوفٍ أَمانٌ لِخائِفٍ

مَلاذٌ لِمَحزونٍ شَكا مُتَظَلِّما

مَلاذٌ لِمَحزونٍ شَكا مُتَظَلِّما

Relief for the distressed, safety for the fearful,

A savior for the anguished, refuge for the frightened,

a refuge for the sorrowful who complain of wrong.

Solace for the aggrieved crying injustice.

فَيا أَوحَد الدُنيا وَيا عالِماً غَدا

فَيا أَوحَد الدُنيا وَيا عالِماً غَدا

لَهُ الفَخرُ وَالشَيخُ الرَئيس مُسلِّما

لَهُ الفَخرُ وَالشَيخُ الرَئيس مُسلِّما

So, O peerless one of this world, O scholar to whom

O unmatched one in this world, O wise master of tomorrow,

al-Fakhr and al-Shaykh al-Ra'is have come to yield.

Yours is the pride, as the Sheikh humbly concedes.

وَيا سَيِّداً حازَ الفَضائل كُلَّها

وَيا سَيِّداً حازَ الفَضائل كُلَّها

فَلا عالِمٌ يَلقاهُ إِلّا وَأَحجَما

فَلا عالِمٌ يَلقاهُ إِلّا وَأَحجَما

And O master who has gathered every virtue,

O Lord who has gathered all virtues,

for no scholar meets him without drawing back.

No scholar meets you but lowers his gaze.

وَمَن عَدلُهُ قَد شاعَ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

وَمَن عَدلُهُ قَد شاعَ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

فَأَنجَدَ في قُطر البِلاد وَأَتهَما

فَأَنجَدَ في قُطر البِلاد وَأَتهَما

And you whose justice has spread through every land,

Your justice has spread through every land,

reaching the highlands and the lowlands across the country.

Aiding Sham and taking up the cause of the oppressed.

قَصَدتُ ذُرى عَلياكَ فَالدَهرُ قَد جَنى

قَصَدتُ ذُرى عَلياكَ فَالدَهرُ قَد جَنى

عَليّ وَما لي غَير بابِكَ مُنتَمى

عَليّ وَما لي غَير بابِكَ مُنتَمى

I sought the summits of your eminence, for Time has wronged

I came seeking your lofty threshold, as time

me, and I have no refuge but your door.

Had wronged me, leaving me no recourse but your door.

وَلي مُقلَةٌ قَرحى طَويلٌ سُهادُها

وَلي مُقلَةٌ قَرحى طَويلٌ سُهادُها

وَقَلبٌ بِنيرانِ القَطيعة أُضرِما

وَقَلبٌ بِنيرانِ القَطيعة أُضرِما

And I have a sore eye, long kept sleepless,

My eyes hurt, the parting too long drawn out,

and a heart set ablaze with the fires of estrangement.

My heart afire with the flames of separation.

لَعَلَّك يا مَولايَ تَرحمُ فاقَتي

لَعَلَّك يا مَولايَ تَرحمُ فاقَتي

وَتُنصِفُني مِن عَبدِكَ الدَهر بَعدَما

وَتُنصِفُني مِن عَبدِكَ الدَهر بَعدَما

Perhaps, my lord, you will pity my poverty

Perhaps my Master would have mercy on my plight,

and grant me justice against your servant Time, after...

And do me justice from a life that has denied me.

فَلي عالَةٌ رَبّي العَليمُ بِحالِهِم

فَلي عالَةٌ رَبّي العَليمُ بِحالِهِم

فُؤادي لَهُم أَضحى بِجَمرٍ يضرّما

فُؤادي لَهُم أَضحى بِجَمرٍ يضرّما

For I have dependents—my Lord knows their plight—

I have dependents, my Lord knows their state,

my heart has come to burn for them with glowing coals.

My heart is an ember burning for their sake.

وَنَفسٌ تَرى أَنّ السُؤالَ مَذَلَّةٌ

وَنَفسٌ تَرى أَنّ السُؤالَ مَذَلَّةٌ

سِوى أَنَّها تَرجو نَداكَ تَكَرُّما

سِوى أَنَّها تَرجو نَداكَ تَكَرُّما

And a soul that deems begging a humiliation,

A soul that sees asking for aid as disgrace,

yet hopes for your bounty, graciously bestowed.

Save that it hopes for your generosity to bloom.

لِأَنَّكَ يا قسَّ الفَصاحَة حاتمٌ

لِأَنَّكَ يا قسَّ الفَصاحَة حاتمٌ

وَجُودُكَ يا بَحر المَكارِم قَد طَما

وَجُودُكَ يا بَحر المَكارِم قَد طَما

For you, O Quss of eloquence, are Hatim,

For you are the seal of eloquence, the consummate end;

and your generosity, O sea of noble qualities, has overflowed.

And your munificence, O sea of virtues, runs deep.

عَسى جُودُكَ الفيَّاضُ يَأتي بِنِعمَةٍ

عَسى جُودُكَ الفيَّاضُ يَأتي بِنِعمَةٍ

تُرَوِّي بهِ وَلهانَ مِن أَلَمِ الظَما

تُرَوِّي بهِ وَلهانَ مِن أَلَمِ الظَما

May your overflowing generosity bring a blessing

May your abundant grace bring a bounty

with which you slake a distraught man's agonizing thirst.

To quench the thirst of the parched and famished soul.

بَقيتَ بَقاءَ النَيّرَينِ بِنِعمَةٍ

بَقيتَ بَقاءَ النَيّرَينِ بِنِعمَةٍ

مَدى الدَهرِ ما ناحَت مُطوَّقَةٌ وما

مَدى الدَهرِ ما ناحَت مُطوَّقَةٌ وما

May you endure in blessing as long as the two luminaries,

You remain by virtue of the two Brilliances,

throughout time, as long as a ring-dove mourns, and as long as...

As long as the dove moans and the palm tree stands.