مَحَلُّكَ الجَوزاءُ بَل أَرفَعُ

مَحَلُّكَ الجَوزاءُ بَل أَرفَعُ

وَصَدرُكَ الدَهناءُ بَل أَوسَعُ

وَصَدرُكَ الدَهناءُ بَل أَوسَعُ

Your station is al-Jawza—nay, higher.

Your abode is capacious, nay most spacious,

And your breast is al-Dahna—nay, wider.

And your chest is generous, nay most generous,

وَقَلبُكَ الرَحبُ الَّذي لَم يَزَل

وَقَلبُكَ الرَحبُ الَّذي لَم يَزَل

لِلجِدِّ وَالهَزلِ بِهِ مَوضِعُ

لِلجِدِّ وَالهَزلِ بِهِ مَوضِعُ

And your spacious heart has always

And your heart remains open and unbounded,

held room within it for earnestness and jest.

Ever ready for seriousness and jest.

رَفِّه بِقَرعِ العودِ سَمعاً غَدا

رَفِّه بِقَرعِ العودِ سَمعاً غَدا

قَرعُ العَوالي جُلَّ مايُسمَعُ

قَرعُ العَوالي جُلَّ مايُسمَعُ

Soothe with the oud’s strumming an ear that now

Delight it tomorrow with the lute’s gentle rhythm,

hears mostly the clash of long spears.

For the lute’s soft tones are sweetest to hear.