اللَهGod أكبرgreatest فاقتsurpassed الأحبشthe Abyssinians العربthe Arabs
اللَه أكبر فاقت الأحبش العرب
ماnot مهرتproved a match الفضةsilver البيضاwhite معalongside الذهبgold
ما مهرت الفضة البيضا مع الذهب
God is greatest! The Abyssinians have surpassed the Arabs.
God is the Greatest, the Abyssinians have surpassed the Arabs
White silver is no match for gold.
Neither the white silver competed with the gold
ولاnor كماlike أمmother of لبناLubna عذبتsweet الشنبthe teeth's freshness
ولا كما أم لبنا عذبت الشنب
حازتshe attained معاtogether حسنهاher beauty للدّينfor faith والأدبand refinement
حازت معا حسنها للدّين والأدب
Nor is there anyone like Umm Lubna, sweet of teeth.
Nor did our sweet mother's milk compete with the dates
She combines her beauty with faith and refinement.
She possesses together beauty and religion and morals
ماthere is none مثلlike هذاthis الغزالgazelle
ما مثل هذا الغزال
قدindeed حازhe attained كلّall الجمالbeauty
قد حاز كلّ الجمال
There is none like this gazelle.
There is no one like this gazelle
He has attained all beauty,
Who has attained all beauty
وزادand added فوقهbeyond it كمالperfection
وزاد فوقه كمال
And added perfection beyond it.
And exceeded it with perfection
Do not be surprised that in her is the epitome of wonder
لاdo not تعجبواmarvel انindeed فيهاin her غايةthe height of العجبwonder
لا تعجبوا ان فيها غاية العجب
منذsince رنحتshe swayed فوقabove غصنa bough مائسswaying القضبthe shoots
منذ رنحت فوق غصن مائس القضب
Do not marvel: in her lies the height of wonder,
Since she swayed above the branch of the erect twig
Since she swayed above a bough with swaying shoots.
She resembles musk in color and in fragrance
قدindeed شابهhe resembled المسكmusk فيin لونcolor وفيand in عبقاfragrance
قد شابه المسك في لون وفي عبقا
هماboth of them بلاwithout امتراءdoubt منfrom طينةclay خلقاwere both created
هما بلا امتراء من طينة خلقا
He resembles musk in color and fragrance.
They both without contention are of the same essence and creation
The two were, beyond doubt, fashioned from the same clay.
Thirst is quenched when from her hand water is drank
يشفىis healed الغليلburning thirst إذاwhen هوhe منfrom لماهhis dusky lips يسقىis given drink
يشفى الغليل إذا هو من لماه يسقى
كاسa cup علىupon ابنةdaughter الزرجونthe grapevine بالحببwith bubbles
كاس على ابنة الزرجون بالحبب
Burning thirst is quenched when one is given a drink from his dusky lips—
A goblet from the daughter of Zarjun with love
A cup of the vine's daughter, with bubbles on top.
This from us is for the hearts
هذاthis مناdesire للقلوبfor hearts
هذا منا للقلوب
وكشفand the dispelling of كلّall الكروبsorrows
وكشف كلّ الكروب
This is the hearts' desire,
And has uncovered all worries
And the dispelling of every sorrow,
And removed all sorrows
ونفىand the banishing of كلّall الخطوبcalamities
ونفى كلّ الخطوب
And the banishing of every calamity.
This is my longing, and this is my request, and this is my nurture
And in it is my soul, and my comforts along with my joy
هذاthis منائيmy wish وذاand this سؤليmy plea وذاand this أربيmy desire
هذا منائي وذا سؤلي وذا أربي
وفيهand in him روحيmy soul وراحاتيand my comforts معاtogether طربيmy rapture
وفيه روحي وراحاتي معا طربي
This is my wish, and this my plea, and this my desire.
And in him are my soul, my comforts, and my rapture together.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1