سَقى دِمَشق وَمَن فيها بِما رَحبت

سَقى دِمَشق وَمَن فيها بِما رَحبت

مِن الغَمام السَواري كُلُّ منهمر

مِن الغَمام السَواري كُلُّ منهمر

May Damascus and all within its spacious bounds be watered

It quenched Damascus, and those in it, with what it spread

By every downpour from the night-traveling clouds.

Of clouds, each pouring down heavily

أَرضٌ بِها كُلُّ فتان مِن البَشَر

أَرضٌ بِها كُلُّ فتان مِن البَشَر

يَزهو عَلى الحور بِالأَلحاظ وَالحور

يَزهو عَلى الحور بِالأَلحاظ وَالحور

A land where every captivating mortal

A land in which is every seducer of mankind

Outshines the houris in glances and dark-eyed beauty.

Glorifying the maidens with glances and maidens

أَرضٌ بِها رقت الأَرواح فَاِعتَدَلَت

أَرضٌ بِها رقت الأَرواح فَاِعتَدَلَت

فَلَيلُها أَبَداً في رقة السحر

فَلَيلُها أَبَداً في رقة السحر

A land where the breezes grew gentle and temperate,

A land in which spirits softened and became balanced

So its night is forever as tender as the hour before dawn.

So its night is everlasting in the softness of magic

وَمِن صَفا مائِها تَبدو ضَمائِرُهُ

وَمِن صَفا مائِها تَبدو ضَمائِرُهُ

فَكُلُ ما قَد طَواهُ غَير مُستَتَر

فَكُلُ ما قَد طَواهُ غَير مُستَتَر

And from the clarity of its water, its secrets appear;

And from the clarity of its water, consciences appear

So all that it has enfolded lies unconcealed.

So everything it covers is unveiled

كَأَنَّهُ ذائب البَلور حَيث جَرى

كَأَنَّهُ ذائب البَلور حَيث جَرى

يَجري عَلى الماس وَالعقيان وَالدُرر

يَجري عَلى الماس وَالعقيان وَالدُرر

As though it were melted crystal wherever it flows,

As if it were molten crystal, flowing

Flowing over diamonds, pure gold, and pearls.

Flowing over diamonds, peridots and pearls

وَرَقَ حَتّى لَقَد أَعدى الهَواء بِها

وَرَقَ حَتّى لَقَد أَعدى الهَواء بِها

وَراقَ فَاِعتَدَلا في الصَفو وَالخصر

وَراقَ فَاِعتَدَلا في الصَفو وَالخصر

And it grew so delicate that even the air there caught its delicacy;

It was delicate until the air surpassed it

And it grew clear, so both matched in purity and coolness.

And became balanced in slenderness and waist

وَكُلُ مُشتَعل الخَدين بِالخَفَر

وَكُلُ مُشتَعل الخَدين بِالخَفَر

يَحير في وَجنَتَيهِ رائد البَصَر

يَحير في وَجنَتَيهِ رائد البَصَر

And everyone whose cheeks glow with modesty

And every flushed-cheek is confused

Leaves the scout of sight bewildered upon his cheeks.

Perplexing the guide of sight in his cheeks

وَكُل مُشتَمل بِالحُسن في حلل

وَكُل مُشتَمل بِالحُسن في حلل

مِن الجَمال عَفيف فاتك النَظَر

مِن الجَمال عَفيف فاتك النَظَر

And everyone clad in beauty, in robes

And everyone clothed in beauty in robes

Of loveliness—chaste, yet deadly in his gaze;

Of an unviolated, pure beauty that averts the glance

وَكُلُّ مُشتَغل بِالمُكرمات فَما

وَكُلُّ مُشتَغل بِالمُكرمات فَما

لَهُ بِغَير النَدى وَالمَجد مِن وَطَر

لَهُ بِغَير النَدى وَالمَجد مِن وَطَر

And everyone devoted to noble deeds, with no

And everyone busy with benefactions, so he has

Desire beyond generosity and glory.

No path but generosity and glory

رَعى الإِلَهُ بِها صَحباً خَلائِقَهُم

رَعى الإِلَهُ بِها صَحباً خَلائِقَهُم

أَصفى مِن الطَلّ فَوقَ الوَرد وَالزَهر

أَصفى مِن الطَلّ فَوقَ الوَرد وَالزَهر

May God protect the companions there, whose characters

God has nurtured in it companions, their natures

Are purer than dew upon roses and blossoms.

Finer than dew above roses and flowers

فَإِن فيهُم أَخاً لي كُلَّما صَدعت

فَإِن فيهُم أَخاً لي كُلَّما صَدعت

ذِكراهُ قَلبي اِرتَمَت أَحشايَ بِالشَرر

ذِكراهُ قَلبي اِرتَمَت أَحشايَ بِالشَرر

For among them is a brother of mine; whenever his memory cleaves

For among them is a brother of mine, whenever

My heart, my innards erupt with sparks.

I remember him, my heart flutters with embers

صَديقٌ صدق أَكيد الود خالِصُهُ

صَديقٌ صدق أَكيد الود خالِصُهُ

حَرّاً كَريماً عَفيفاً طاهر الأَزر

حَرّاً كَريماً عَفيفاً طاهر الأَزر

A true friend, steadfast and pure in his affection,

A sincere, true friend, purest of affection

Noble, generous, chaste, with unstained garments.

Free, noble and chaste, immaculate

صفت مَودَتهُ مِن كُل شائِبَة

صفت مَودَتهُ مِن كُل شائِبَة

لي في صَفاءِ لَيالينا وَفي الكَدَر

لي في صَفاءِ لَيالينا وَفي الكَدَر

His affection was free of every taint,

I described his friendship to me devoid of any blemish

For me, in our nights' serenity and in their gloom.

In the clarity of our nights and in hardship

لَو كثنت أَملك عُمري أَن أَجود بِهِ

لَو كثنت أَملك عُمري أَن أَجود بِهِ

بِذَلت في ساعة مِن قُربِهِ عُمري

بِذَلت في ساعة مِن قُربِهِ عُمري

If my lifetime were mine to give away,

If I spent my life being generous to him

I would spend my lifetime for one hour at his side.

I would give my life in an instant of his nearness

عَجبت لِلقَلب وَالأَشواق تَحرِقَهُ

عَجبت لِلقَلب وَالأَشواق تَحرِقَهُ

في كُل ىن بِنار الهَم وَالفكر

في كُل ىن بِنار الهَم وَالفكر

I marveled at the heart, while longings burn it,

I wonder at the heart and the passions burning it

At every moment, with the fire of worry and thought,

In every blink with the fire of anxiety and thought

وَكَيفَ يَبقى عَلى هَذا وَلا عَجَب

وَكَيفَ يَبقى عَلى هَذا وَلا عَجَب

فيهِ فَقَد قالَ رَب المَجد وَالخَطَر

فيهِ فَقَد قالَ رَب المَجد وَالخَطَر

And how it survives all this—yet there is no wonder

And how can it remain thus and no wonder

In it, for a master of glory and eminence has said:

For the Lord of Glory and Danger has said

لَو كانَت النار لِلياقوت مَحرقة

لَو كانَت النار لِلياقوت مَحرقة

لَكانَ يَشتَبه الياقوت بِالحَجَر

لَكانَ يَشتَبه الياقوت بِالحَجَر

If fire could burn the ruby,

If fire were the destroyer of ruby

The ruby would be indistinguishable from stone.

Ruby would resemble stone

وَارحمتاهُ لحرّ قَلَّ ناصِرُهُ

وَارحمتاهُ لحرّ قَلَّ ناصِرُهُ

وَساوَرتهُ صُروف الدَهر بِالغَير

وَساوَرتهُ صُروف الدَهر بِالغَير

Ah, pity the noble man whose support is scant,

But His mercy for an ardent heart few defend

And whom time's vicissitudes have assailed with reversals;

And the turns of fate have challenged him with others

فَلم تُزحزحهُ عَن دين الوَفاءِ وَلا

فَلم تُزحزحهُ عَن دين الوَفاءِ وَلا

عَن الإِباءِ وَلا أَخلاقِهِ الاخر

عَن الإِباءِ وَلا أَخلاقِهِ الاخر

Yet they did not dislodge him from the creed of fidelity, nor

They did not shake him from the faith of loyalty

From proud self-respect, nor from his other virtues.

Nor from dignity, nor his other traits

يا شَوق مَهلاً فَلَيسَ القَلبُ مِن حَجَر

يا شَوق مَهلاً فَلَيسَ القَلبُ مِن حَجَر

وَيا خُطوب اِرفِقي أَني مِن البَشَر

وَيا خُطوب اِرفِقي أَني مِن البَشَر

O longing, gently—for the heart is not of stone;

Oh longing, wait, for the heart is not of stone

And O calamities, be gentle, for I am human.

And oh sorrows, gently, I am but human