سَلامٌa greeting كَنَشرِlike the fragrance of الرَوضِthe garden باكرَهُvisited it at dawn العَهدُfresh rain
سَلامٌ كَنَشرِ الرَوضِ باكرَهُ العَهدُ
وَأَمسَتand were at dusk ذَواتُthose bearing الطَوقِthe neck-ring فيin أَيكِهِits grove تَشدوsing
وَأَمسَت ذَواتُ الطَوقِ في أَيكِهِ تَشدو
A greeting like a meadow’s fragrance when returning rain visits it at dawn,
A greeting like the fragrance of a garden visited at dawn by fresh rain,
while ring-necked doves sing at evening in its grove.
And at dusk the ring-necked doves were singing in its grove,
عَلىupon مَعهَدٍan abode ساميlofty الذُراthe summits واسِعspacious الدِراthe grounds
عَلى مَعهَدٍ سامي الذُرا واسِع الدِرا
إِلَيهِto it تَناهىculminated الفَخرُpride وَالفَضلُand excellence وَالمَجدُand glory
إِلَيهِ تَناهى الفَخرُ وَالفَضلُ وَالمَجدُ
Upon an abode of lofty heights and spacious courts,
Upon an abode of lofty summits and spacious grounds,
where pride, excellence, and glory have reached their utmost bounds.
Where pride, excellence, and glory have reached their height.
لَهُit has شَرَفٌeminence لَوif حَلَّتِsettled الشَمسُthe sun بُرحَهُits open courts
لَهُ شَرَفٌ لَو حَلَّتِ الشَمسُ بُرحَهُ
لَماwould not كُسِفَتbe eclipsed يَوماًon any day وَلاnor راعَهاfrighten it ضِدُّa rival
لَما كُسِفَت يَوماً وَلا راعَها ضِدُّ
It possesses such eminence that, if the sun alighted in its open court,
Its eminence is such that, were the sun to settle in its open courts,
it would never be eclipsed, nor ever be alarmed by a rival.
It would never be eclipsed, nor would any rival frighten it.
وَمَنزِلَةٌand a station تَسموsurpasses المَنازِلthe stations قَدhas رَناgazed
وَمَنزِلَةٌ تَسمو المَنازِل قَد رَنا
إِلَيهاtoward it عَلىupon ساميthe loftiest of مَنازِلِهِits stations السَعدُFortune
إِلَيها عَلى سامي مَنازِلِهِ السَعدُ
And a station that towers above all stations—Fortune has gazed
And a station surpassing all stations, gazed upon
toward it from the loftiest of its own stations.
By Fortune from the loftiest of its own stations.
سَقاهاmay He water them وَحَيّاهاand bless them الإِلَهGod مَنازِلاًabodes
سَقاها وَحَيّاها الإِلَه مَنازِلاً
لِسُكّانِهاfor their inhabitants وَسطَwithin الحَشاthe heart أَبَداًforever وَجدُlonging
لِسُكّانِها وَسطَ الحَشا أَبَداً وَجدُ
May God water and bless them—those abodes
May God water and bless those abodes,
for whose dwellers an everlasting longing lives deep within the heart.
For whose inhabitants the heart forever holds a longing.
فَلِلَّهِso, to God لَيلa night فيin حِماهاtheir sanctuary قَطَعتُهُI spent it
فَلِلَّهِ لَيل في حِماها قَطَعتُهُ
بُحسنِwith the beauty of حَديثٍconversation دونَbelow لَذّتِهِits pleasure الشَهدُhoney in the comb
بُحسنِ حَديثٍ دونَ لَذّتِهِ الشَهدُ
Oh, what a night I spent within their sanctuary,
So, praise be to God for a night I spent within their sanctuary,
in beautiful conversation, beside whose delight even honey falls short!
In lovely conversation, whose pleasure honey could not match.
حَديثٌconversation لَوif أَنَّthat المَيتَthe dead man يُدعىis summoned بِمثلِهِwith its like
حَديثٌ لَو أَنَّ المَيتَ يُدعى بِمثلِهِ
أَجابَwould answer وَلَبّىand heed the call بَعدَafter ماthat ضَمّهenfolded him لَحدُa burial niche
أَجابَ وَلَبّى بَعدَ ما ضَمّه لَحدُ
Conversation such that, were a dead man summoned with its like,
Conversation such that, were a dead man summoned with its like,
he would answer, “At your service!” even after the grave had enfolded him.
He would answer and heed the call, after a grave had enfolded him.
Sol 6.1