مالي خَلَعْتُ ثيابي وانْطَلَقْتُ إِلى

مالي خَلَعْتُ ثيابي وانْطَلَقْتُ إِلى

سِواي أَسأَلهُ الأثوابَ و الحُلَلا

سِواي أَسأَلهُ الأثوابَ و الحُلَلا

Why have I cast off my clothes and set out toward

Why have I taken off my clothes and headed

someone else, asking him for garments and robes?

To my sword, asking it for garments and wrappings?

قَدْ كانَ لي حُلَلٌ أزْهو بِبْهجَتها

قَدْ كانَ لي حُلَلٌ أزْهو بِبْهجَتها

عِزّاً وَيزْهو بِها مَنْ حَلَّ وارْتحَلا

عِزّاً وَيزْهو بِها مَنْ حَلَّ وارْتحَلا

I once had robes whose beauty filled me with pride,

I used to have wrappings I adorned with their splendor,

with honor; those who stayed and those who traveled took pride in them.

With honor, and he who donned and traveled adorned with them.

أَغْنى بِها ، وَتمدُّ الدفْءَ في بَدَني

أَغْنى بِها ، وَتمدُّ الدفْءَ في بَدَني

أَمْناً وتُطْلِقُ مِنّي العزْمَ والأَمَلا

أَمْناً وتُطْلِقُ مِنّي العزْمَ والأَمَلا

I am enriched by them, and they spread warmth through my body,

They enriched me, and spread warmth in my body,

bringing safety, and releasing from within me resolve and hope.

Safety, and unleashed from me determination and hope.

تموجُ فيها الّلآلي مِنْ مآثِرها

تموجُ فيها الّلآلي مِنْ مآثِرها

نوراً وتبْعَثُ مِنْ لآلاِئها الشُّعَلا

نوراً وتبْعَثُ مِنْ لآلاِئها الشُّعَلا

Pearls of their glories surge within them

The beauties surge in them from their influences,

as light, and they send forth flames from their radiance.

Light, and their ornaments unleash flames.

حتى أفاءتْ شُعوبُ الأرْضِ تَسألُها

حتى أفاءتْ شُعوبُ الأرْضِ تَسألُها

ثوباً لتستُرَ مِنْها السُّوءَ و العِلَلا

ثوباً لتستُرَ مِنْها السُّوءَ و العِلَلا

Until the peoples of the earth returned, asking her for

Until the peoples of the earth came asking them

a garment to cover their shame and their ills.

A garment, to cover with it ills and defects.

مدَّت يَدَ الجودِ كَنْزاً مِنْ جَواهِرها

مدَّت يَدَ الجودِ كَنْزاً مِنْ جَواهِرها

فَزَيَّنتْهُم وكانوا قبلها عُطُلا

فَزَيَّنتْهُم وكانوا قبلها عُطُلا

She stretched out the hand of generosity with a treasure of her jewels,

It stretched out the hand of generosity, a treasure of its jewels,

so she adorned them; before her, they had been unadorned.

It adorned them, and before it they were bereft.

جادتْ عليهم وأوفَتْ كلَّ مسْألةٍ

جادتْ عليهم وأوفَتْ كلَّ مسْألةٍ

بِرّاً تَوالى ، وأوْفَتْ كلَّ مَنْ سَألا

بِرّاً تَوالى ، وأوْفَتْ كلَّ مَنْ سَألا

She gave generously to them and fulfilled every request,

It was generous to them and fulfilled every request

with kindness ever renewed, and satisfied everyone who asked.

With righteousness, continuous, and fulfilled all who asked.

هذا البيانُ وقدْ صاغتْهُ معْجِزةً

هذا البيانُ وقدْ صاغتْهُ معْجِزةً

تمضي مع الدّهرِ مجْداً ظلَّ مُتَّصلا

تمضي مع الدّهرِ مجْداً ظلَّ مُتَّصلا

This is eloquence, which she has fashioned into a miracle,

This statement which a miracle crafted,

moving through the ages as glory that remains unbroken.

Proceeding with time, continuous glorious.

تكسو مِنَ الهدْيِ ، مِنْ إعجازِهِ حُللاّ

تكسو مِنَ الهدْيِ ، مِنْ إعجازِهِ حُللاّ

أو جَوْهَراً زيَّنَ الأعطافَ والعُطَلا

أو جَوْهَراً زيَّنَ الأعطافَ والعُطَلا

It clothes us in robes of guidance, drawn from its inimitability,

It clothes guidance, from its eloquence wrappings,

or in jewels that adorned shoulders and bare necks.

Or a jewel that adorned shoulders and bereft.

نسيجُه لغةُ القَرآنِ ، جَوْهرُهُ

نسيجُه لغةُ القَرآنِ ، جَوْهرُهُ

آيٌ منَ اللهِ حقّاً جَلّ واكْتَملا

آيٌ منَ اللهِ حقّاً جَلّ واكْتَملا

Its fabric is the language of the Qur'an; its jewels

Its fabric is the language of the Quran, its essence

are verses from God, truly sublime and complete.

Verses from God, truly majestic and complete.

نبعٌ يفيضُ على الدّنيا فيملؤُها

نبعٌ يفيضُ على الدّنيا فيملؤُها

رَيّاً وَيُطلقُ مِنْ أحواضِهِ الحَفَلا

رَيّاً وَيُطلقُ مِنْ أحواضِهِ الحَفَلا

A spring that overflows upon the world and fills it

A spring that overflows upon the world and fills it

with refreshment, and releases abundant waters from its pools.

With water, and from its pools unleashes floods.

أو أنه الروّضُ يُغْني الأرْضَ مِنْ عَبَقٍ

أو أنه الروّضُ يُغْني الأرْضَ مِنْ عَبَقٍ

مِلْءَ الزَّمانِ نديّاً عودُهُ خَضِلا

مِلْءَ الزَّمانِ نديّاً عودُهُ خَضِلا

Or it is a garden, enriching the earth with fragrance,

Or it is the garden that enriches the land with fragrance

filling all time, dew-fresh, its stem lush and moist.

Filling time, its willow fresh and green.

تَرِفُّ مِنْ هَدْيِهِ أنداءُ خافِقَةٍ

تَرِفُّ مِنْ هَدْيِهِ أنداءُ خافِقَةٍ

معَ البكورِ تَمُدُّ الفَيْءَ و الظُّلَلا

معَ البكورِ تَمُدُّ الفَيْءَ و الظُّلَلا

From its guidance, quivering dewdrops flutter,

From its guidance the cooing of turtledoves billows

with the early morning, extending shade and canopies.

At dawn, spreading shade and shadows.

وكلُّ مَنْ لوّحتْه حَرُّ هاجِرةٍ

وكلُّ مَنْ لوّحتْه حَرُّ هاجِرةٍ

أوى إليه ليلْقى الرّيَّ و البَلَلا

أوى إليه ليلْقى الرّيَّ و البَلَلا

And all whom the heat of noon has scorched

And all who are scorched by the heat of departure

seek refuge in it, to find refreshment and moisture.

Seek refuge in it, to find water and dampness.

عجبتُ !! ما بالُ قومي أدْبَروا وجَرَوْا

عجبتُ !! ما بالُ قومي أدْبَروا وجَرَوْا

يرْجونَ ساقطةَ الغاياتِ والهَمَلا

يرْجونَ ساقطةَ الغاياتِ والهَمَلا

I marvel! What ails my people, who have turned away and run,

I wonder! Why have my people turned back and fled,

hoping for base goals and aimlessness?

Seeking fallen hopes and dreams?

لمْ يأخذوا مِنْ ديارِ الغرْبِ مكرُمةً

لمْ يأخذوا مِنْ ديارِ الغرْبِ مكرُمةً

مِنَ القناعةِ أوْ علماً نَما وَعَلا

مِنَ القناعةِ أوْ علماً نَما وَعَلا

They took from the lands of the West neither the noble virtue

They did not take from the lands of the West any honor,

of contentment nor knowledge that had grown and risen high.

Or knowledge that grew and ascended.

لكنّهمْ أخذوا لَيَّ اللّسانِ وقدْ

لكنّهمْ أخذوا لَيَّ اللّسانِ وقدْ

حباهُمُ اللهُ حُسْنَ النُّطْقِ مُعْتدِلا

حباهُمُ اللهُ حُسْنَ النُّطْقِ مُعْتدِلا

But they took up twisting the tongue, though

But they took the mispronunciation of my tongue when

God had gifted them beautiful, well-balanced speech.

God had granted them excellence in proper speech.

يا ويحهمْ بدَّلوا عيّاً بِفصحِهمُ

يا ويحهمْ بدَّلوا عيّاً بِفصحِهمُ

وبالبيانِ الغنيِّ استبدلوا الزَّلَلا

وبالبيانِ الغنيِّ استبدلوا الزَّلَلا

Alas for them! They replaced their eloquence with inarticulacy,

Oh woe to them! They substituted impropriety for their eloquence

and traded rich expression for error.

And for clear rhetoric they substituted stumbling speech.

إن اللّسانَ غذاءُ الفكرِ يحْملُهُ

إن اللّسانَ غذاءُ الفكرِ يحْملُهُ

عِلْماً وفنّاً صواباً كانَ أو خَطَلا

عِلْماً وفنّاً صواباً كانَ أو خَطَلا

Indeed, language is thought's nourishment, carrying it

The tongue is the food of thought, it carries it

as knowledge and art, whether sound or nonsensical.

Knowledge and craft, right or wrong.

يظلُّ ينسلُّ منه الزّادُ في فِطَرٍ

يظلُّ ينسلُّ منه الزّادُ في فِطَرٍ

تلقى به الخَيْرَ أو تلقى بِهِ الزَّللا

تلقى به الخَيْرَ أو تلقى بِهِ الزَّللا

Nourishment keeps flowing from it into human natures,

It continues to breed from it provision in instincts

which find goodness through it, or through it find error.

That meet goodness or meet misguidance.

الأَعْجَمِيُّ لِسانٌ زادُهُ عَجَبٌ

الأَعْجَمِيُّ لِسانٌ زادُهُ عَجَبٌ

تَراهُ يَخْلطُ في أَوْشابِهِ الجدَلا

تَراهُ يَخْلطُ في أَوْشابِهِ الجدَلا

The foreign tongue has strange sustenance;

Foreign speech has wonder for its provision,

you see it mix disputation into its tangled medley.

You see it mixing in its clouding confusion and arguments.

لمْ يَحْمِلِ الهدْيَ نوراً في مَصادِرِهِ

لمْ يَحْمِلِ الهدْيَ نوراً في مَصادِرِهِ

ولا الحقيقة إلا كانت الوَشلا

ولا الحقيقة إلا كانت الوَشلا

It carried no guidance as light within its sources,

It did not carry guidance as a source,

nor truth, except as a scant trickle.

Nor truth except it would be crooked and winding.

فحسبُنا مِنْ لِسانِ الضّادِ أنّ له

فحسبُنا مِنْ لِسانِ الضّادِ أنّ له

فيضاً من النّور أو نبعاً صَفا وجَلا

فيضاً من النّور أو نبعاً صَفا وجَلا

So it is enough for us that the tongue of Ḍād has

It suffices us from the tongue of proper Arabic that it has

an outpouring of light, or a spring grown pure and clear;

An outpouring of light or a clear, pure spring.

وأنه اللغة الفصحى نمت وزهتْ

وأنه اللغة الفصحى نمت وزهتْ

تنزّلتْ وبلاغاً بالهُدى نزلا

تنزّلتْ وبلاغاً بالهُدى نزلا

and that it is the most eloquent language, which grew and flourished,

That it is the eloquent language that grew and became brilliant,

descended, and came down as a message with guidance;

Revealed, and with guidance it descended.

وأنه ، ورسول الله يُبلغه

وأنه ، ورسول الله يُبلغه

ضمَّ الزمان وضمَّ الآيَ وَالرُّسلا

ضمَّ الزمان وضمَّ الآيَ وَالرُّسلا

and that, while God's Messenger was conveying it,

That it, and God’s messenger delivering it,

it embraced time, and embraced the verses and the messengers;

Embraced time, verses, and messengers.

وأنه الكنزُ لا تفنى جواهرهُ

وأنه الكنزُ لا تفنى جواهرهُ

يُغْني اللياليَ ما أغْنى بِهِ الأُوَلا

يُغْني اللياليَ ما أغْنى بِهِ الأُوَلا

and that it is the treasure whose jewels never perish,

That it is the treasure whose jewels do not perish,

enriching the nights as the first generations were enriched through it.

Enriching the nights as it enriched the ancients.

يظلُّ يُطْلِقُ من لأْلائِهِ دُرراً

يظلُّ يُطْلِقُ من لأْلائِهِ دُرراً

على الزمان غنيَّ الجودِ متصلا

على الزمان غنيَّ الجودِ متصلا

It keeps releasing pearls from its radiance,

It continues unleashing from its beauties pearls

through the ages, rich in generosity, without cease.

Upon time, generous continuously.

فعُدْ إلى لغةِ القرآنِ صافيَة

فعُدْ إلى لغةِ القرآنِ صافيَة

تَجْلو لكَ الدَّربَ سهْلاً كانَ أو جبلا

تَجْلو لكَ الدَّربَ سهْلاً كانَ أو جبلا

So return to the pure language of the Qur'an,

So return to the language of the Quran pure,

which makes your path clear, be it plain or mountain.

It will make clear to you the path, easy or hard.

تجلو صراطاً سويّاً لا ترى عِوجاً

تجلو صراطاً سويّاً لا ترى عِوجاً

فيه ولا فتنةً تَلْقى ولا خَللا

فيه ولا فتنةً تَلْقى ولا خَللا

It reveals a straight path: you see no crookedness

It makes clear a straight path you see no crookedness in,

in it, nor do you encounter temptation or flaw.

No tribulation you meet, no defect.

تجلو سبيلاً تراهُ واحداً أبداً

تجلو سبيلاً تراهُ واحداً أبداً

وللمُضلّين تْلقى عندهُمْ سُبُلا

وللمُضلّين تْلقى عندهُمْ سُبُلا

It reveals a way that you see as one for all time;

It makes clear a way you see one, forever,

while among those who lead astray, you find many ways.

And for the misguided you meet at their hands misguidance.