خَطَّتlaid out يَداكَyour two hands الرَوضَةَthe garden الغَنّاءَlush
خَطَّت يَداكَ الرَوضَةَ الغَنّاءَ
وَفَرَغتَand you finished مِنfrom صَرحِthe lofty edifice الفُنونِthe arts بِناءَbuilding
وَفَرَغتَ مِن صَرحِ الفُنونِ بِناءَ
Your two hands laid out the lush garden,
And you completed the building of the edifice of the arts.
ماnot زِلتَyou ceased تَذهَبُyou go فيin السُمُوِّascent بِركنِهِwith its pillar
ما زِلتَ تَذهَبُ في السُمُوِّ بِركنِهِ
حَتّىuntil تَجاوَزَsurpassed رُكنُهُits pillar الجَوزاءَal-Jawza constellation
حَتّى تَجاوَزَ رُكنُهُ الجَوزاءَ
You kept lifting its pillar ever higher,
Until its pillar rose beyond al-Jawza.
دارٌa house مِنَof الفَنِّart الجَميلِfine تَقَسَّمَتdivided itself
دارٌ مِنَ الفَنِّ الجَميلِ تَقَسَّمَت
لِلساهِرينَfor those awake at night رِوايَةًdrama وَرُواءَand visual beauty
لِلساهِرينَ رِوايَةً وَرُواءَ
A house of fine art, sharing itself
With those awake at night as drama and visual beauty.
كَالرَوضِlike a garden تَحتَbeneath الطَيرِthe birds أَعجَبَdelighted أَيكُهُits grove
كَالرَوضِ تَحتَ الطَيرِ أَعجَبَ أَيكُهُ
لَحظَthe gaze العُيونِof the eyes وَأَعجَبَand delighted الإِصغاءَlistening
لَحظَ العُيونِ وَأَعجَبَ الإِصغاءَ
Like a garden beneath the birds, whose grove delighted
The eyes' gaze and delighted the listening ear.
وَلَقَدand indeed نَزَلتَyou came بِهاto it فَلَمso not نَرَwe saw قَبلَهاbefore it
وَلَقَد نَزَلتَ بِها فَلَم نَرَ قَبلَها
فَلَكاًa celestial sphere جَلاunveiled شَمسَthe sun النَهارِof daytime عِشاءَat nightfall
فَلَكاً جَلا شَمسَ النَهارِ عِشاءَ
Indeed, you came to it; never before had we seen
A firmament unveil the daylight sun at nightfall.
وَتَوَهَّجَتand it blazed حَتّىuntil تَقَلَّبَwas bathed فيin السَناthe radiance
وَتَوَهَّجَت حَتّى تَقَلَّبَ في السَنا
واديthe valley المُلوكِof the kings حِجارَةًstones وَفَضاءَand open space
وادي المُلوكِ حِجارَةً وَفَضاءَ
And it blazed until the radiance bathed
The Valley of the Kings, stones and open spaces alike.
فَتَلَفَّتواso they looked around يَتَهامَسونَwhispering to one another لَعَلَّهُperhaps it is
فَتَلَفَّتوا يَتَهامَسونَ لَعَلَّهُ
فَجرُthe dawn الحَضارَةِof civilization فيin البِلادِthe land أَضاءَhas shone
فَجرُ الحَضارَةِ في البِلادِ أَضاءَ
So they looked about, whispering: "Perhaps it is
Civilization's dawn that has lit up the land."
تِلكَthose المَعارِفُbranches of learning فيin طُلولِthe ruins بِنائِهِمof their building
تِلكَ المَعارِفُ في طُلولِ بِنائِهِم
أَكثَرنَthey repeated نَحوَtoward بِنائِكَyour building الإيماءَgestures
أَكثَرنَ نَحوَ بِنائِكَ الإيماءَ
Those branches of learning, amid their buildings' ruins,
Gestured repeatedly toward your building.
وَتَمايَلَتand swayed عيدانُهُنَّtheir lutes تَحِيَّةًin greeting
وَتَمايَلَت عيدانُهُنَّ تَحِيَّةً
وَتَرَنَّمَتand sang أَوتارُهُنَّtheir strings ثَناءَin praise
وَتَرَنَّمَت أَوتارُهُنَّ ثَناءَ
And their lutes swayed in greeting,
And their strings sang in praise.
ياO بانِيَbuilder of الإيوانِthe hall قَدindeed نَسَّقتَهُyou arranged it
يا بانِيَ الإيوانِ قَد نَسَّقتَهُ
وَحَذَوتَand you emulated فيin هِندامِهاits design الحَمراءَthe Alhambra
وَحَذَوتَ في هِندامِها الحَمراءَ
O builder of the hall, you have fashioned it,
And modeled its design upon the Alhambra.
أَينَwhere is الغَريضُal-Gharid يَحِلُّهُto dwell in it أَوor مَعبَدٌMa'bad
أَينَ الغَريضُ يَحِلُّهُ أَو مَعبَدٌ
يَتَبَوَّأَto settle in الحُجُراتِthe chambers وَالأَبهاءِand the halls
يَتَبَوَّأَ الحُجُراتِ وَالأَبهاءِ
Where is al-Gharid to dwell in it, or Ma'bad
To take his place in the chambers and halls?
العَبقَرِيَّةُgenius فيamong ضَنائِنِهِHis prized treasures الَّتيwhich
العَبقَرِيَّةُ في ضَنائِنِهِ الَّتي
يَحبوHe bestows بِهاwith them سُبحانَهُglory be to Him مَنwhomever شاءَHe wills
يَحبو بِها سُبحانَهُ مَن شاءَ
Genius is among His prized treasures, which
He bestows—glory be to Him—on whomever He wills.
لَمّاwhen بَنَيتَyou built الأَيكَthe grove وَاِستَوهَبتَهُand asked Him for a gift
لَمّا بَنَيتَ الأَيكَ وَاِستَوهَبتَهُ
بَعثَHe sent forth الهَزارَthe nightingale وَأَرسَلَand dispatched الوَرقاءَthe gray dove
بَعثَ الهَزارَ وَأَرسَلَ الوَرقاءَ
When you built the grove and asked Him for a gift,
He sent forth the nightingale and dispatched the gray dove.
فَسَمِعتَso you heard مِنof مُتَفَرِّدِmatchless الأَنغامِmelodies ماwhat
فَسَمِعتَ مِن مُتَفَرِّدِ الأَنغامِ ما
فاتَeluded الرَشيدَal-Rashid وَأَخطَأَand missed النُدَماءَthe boon companions
فاتَ الرَشيدَ وَأَخطَأَ النُدَماءَ
Thus you heard, among matchless melodies, what
Eluded al-Rashid and passed the boon companions by.
وَالفَنُّand art رَيحانُthe sweet basil المُلوكِof kings وَرُبَّماand at times
وَالفَنُّ رَيحانُ المُلوكِ وَرُبَّما
خَلَدواthey lived on عَلىalong جَنَباتِهِits sides أَسماءَas names
خَلَدوا عَلى جَنَباتِهِ أَسماءَ
And art is the sweet basil of kings; at times
They live on as names along its borders.
لَولاwere it not for أَياديهِits benefactions عَلىupon أَبنائِناour sons
لَولا أَياديهِ عَلى أَبنائِنا
لَمnot نُلفَwe would be deemed أَمجَدَthe most glorious أُمَّةnation آباءَforefathers
لَم نُلفَ أَمجَدَ أُمَّة آباءَ
Were it not for its benefactions to our sons,
We would not be deemed the nation with the most glorious forefathers.
كانَتwere أَوائِلُthe forebears كُلِّof every قَومٍpeople فيin العُلاlofty rank
كانَت أَوائِلُ كُلِّ قَومٍ في العُلا
أَرضاًearth وَكُنّاand we were فيin الفَخارِglory سَماءَheaven
أَرضاً وَكُنّا في الفَخارِ سَماءَ
The forebears of every people were, in lofty rank,
Earth, while we, in glory, were heaven.
لَولاwere it not for اِبتِسامُthe smile الفَنِّof art فيماin what حَولَهُsurrounds it
لَولا اِبتِسامُ الفَنِّ فيما حَولَهُ
ظَلَّwould remain الوُجودُexistence جَهامَةًgrimness وَجَفاءَand harshness
ظَلَّ الوُجودُ جَهامَةً وَجَفاءَ
Were it not for art's smile upon all around it,
Existence would remain grimness and harshness.
جَرِّدstrip مِنَof الفَنِّart الحَياةَlife وَماand what حَوَتit holds
جَرِّد مِنَ الفَنِّ الحَياةَ وَما حَوَت
تَجِدِyou will find الحَياةَlife مِنَof الجَمالِbeauty خَلاءَdevoid
تَجِدِ الحَياةَ مِنَ الجَمالِ خَلاءَ
Strip life, and all it holds, of art;
You will find life devoid of beauty.
بِالفَنِّthrough art عالَجتِhas healed الحَياةَlife طَبيعَةٌNature
بِالفَنِّ عالَجتِ الحَياةَ طَبيعَةٌ
قَدindeed عالَجَتhas healed بِالواحَةِwith an oasis الصَحراءَthe desert
قَد عالَجَت بِالواحَةِ الصَحراءَ
With art, Nature has healed life,
As she has healed the desert with an oasis.
تَأويseeks refuge إِلَيهاin it الروحُthe soul مِنfrom رَمضائِهاits scorching heat
تَأوي إِلَيها الروحُ مِن رَمضائِها
فَتُصيبُand finds ظِلّاًshade أَوor تُصادِفُencounters ماءَwater
فَتُصيبُ ظِلّاً أَو تُصادِفُ ماءَ
The soul seeks refuge there from life's scorching heat,
And finds shade or encounters water.
نَبضُthe pulse الحَضارَةِof civilization فيin المَمالِكِthe kingdoms كُلِّهاall of them
نَبضُ الحَضارَةِ في المَمالِكِ كُلِّها
يُجريmakes flow السَلامَةَhealth أَوor يَدُقُّbeats الداءَdisease
يُجري السَلامَةَ أَو يَدُقُّ الداءَ
The pulse of civilization in all kingdoms
Makes health flow, or beats with disease.
إِنif صَحَّit is sound فَهيَthen it عَلىthrough الزَمانِtime صَحيحَةٌis sound
إِن صَحَّ فَهيَ عَلى الزَمانِ صَحيحَةٌ
أَوor زافَis counterfeit كانَتit would be ظاهِراًan exterior وَطِلاءَand paint
أَو زافَ كانَت ظاهِراً وَطِلاءَ
If it is sound, civilization remains sound through time;
Or, if it is false, she is mere surface and paint.
انظُرlook أَباfather of الفاروقِal-Faruq غَرسَكَyour planting هَلdo تَرىyou see
انظُر أَبا الفاروقِ غَرسَكَ هَل تَرى
بِالغَرسِin the planting إِلّاexcept نِعمَةًa blessing وَنَماءَand growth
بِالغَرسِ إِلّا نِعمَةً وَنَماءَ
Look, Abu al-Faruq, at your planting: do you see
In that planting anything but blessing and growth?
مِنfrom حَبَّةٍa seed ذُخِرَتwas stored وَأَيدٍand hands ثابَرَتpersevered
مِن حَبَّةٍ ذُخِرَت وَأَيدٍ ثابَرَت
جاءَcame الزَمانُtime بِجَنَّةٍwith a garden فَيحاءَspacious
جاءَ الزَمانُ بِجَنَّةٍ فَيحاءَ
From a seed preserved and hands that persevered,
Time has brought forth a spacious garden.
وَأَكَنَّتِand sheltered الفَنَّart الجَميلَfine خَميلَةٌa leafy grove
وَأَكَنَّتِ الفَنَّ الجَميلَ خَميلَةٌ
رَمَتِcast الظِلالَthe shadows وَمَدَّتِand spread الأَفياءَthe shade
رَمَتِ الظِلالَ وَمَدَّتِ الأَفياءَ
And a leafy grove sheltered fine art;
It cast shadows and spread the shade.
بَذَلَoffered الجُهودَefforts الصالِحاتِworthy عِصابَةٌa band
بَذَلَ الجُهودَ الصالِحاتِ عِصابَةٌ
لاnot يَسأَلونَthey ask عَنِfor الجُهودِthe efforts جَزاءَrecompense
لا يَسأَلونَ عَنِ الجُهودِ جَزاءَ
A band offered worthy efforts,
Asking no recompense for those efforts.
صَحِبواthey accompanied رَسولَthe messenger الفَنِّof art لاnot يَألونَهُthey stint him
صَحِبوا رَسولَ الفَنِّ لا يَألونَهُ
حُبّاًlove وَصِدقَand sincerity of مَوَدَّةٍaffection وَوَفاءَand loyalty
حُبّاً وَصِدقَ مَوَدَّةٍ وَوَفاءَ
They stood by art's messenger, never stinting him
In love, sincere affection, and loyalty.
دَفَعواthey repelled العَوائِقَthe obstacles بِالثَباتِwith steadfastness وَجاوَزواand overcame
دَفَعوا العَوائِقَ بِالثَباتِ وَجاوَزوا
ماwhat سَرَّpleased مِنof قَدَرِthe fate الأُمورِof events وَساءَand displeased
ما سَرَّ مِن قَدَرِ الأُمورِ وَساءَ
They repelled obstacles with steadfastness, and overcame
Whatever fate brought, whether joy or sorrow.
إِنَّindeed التَعاوُنَcooperation قُوَّةٌa power عُلوِيَّةٌheavenly
إِنَّ التَعاوُنَ قُوَّةٌ عُلوِيَّةٌ
تَبنيbuilds الرِجالَmen وَتُبدِعُand creates الأَشياءَthings
تَبني الرِجالَ وَتُبدِعُ الأَشياءَ
Indeed, cooperation is a heavenly power:
It builds men and creates things.
فَليَهنِهِمso may it gladden them حازَwon اِلتِفاتَكَyour attention سَعيُهُمtheir endeavor
فَليَهنِهِم حازَ اِلتِفاتَكَ سَعيُهُم
وَكَساand clothed نَدِيَّهُموtheir assembly سَناًradiance وَسَناءَand splendor
وَكَسا نَدِيَّهُمو سَناً وَسَناءَ
May they rejoice: their striving has won your regard,
And clothed their assembly in radiance and splendor.
لَمnot تَبدُyou appeared لِلأَبصارِto the eyes إِلّاexcept غارِساًas a planter
لَم تَبدُ لِلأَبصارِ إِلّا غارِساً
لِخَوالِفِfor succeeding الأَجيالِgenerations أَوor بَنّاءَa builder
لِخَوالِفِ الأَجيالِ أَو بَنّاءَ
To the eyes you have appeared only as a planter
For generations to come, or as a builder.
تَغدوyou go out in the morning عَلىat الفَتَراتِintervals تَرتَجِلُyou improvise النَدىbounty
تَغدو عَلى الفَتَراتِ تَرتَجِلُ النَدى
وَتَروحُand return at evening تَصطَنِعُyou extend اليَدَthe hand البَيضاءَwhite
وَتَروحُ تَصطَنِعُ اليَدَ البَيضاءَ
At intervals you go forth in the morning, spontaneously bestowing bounty,
And return at evening, extending the white hand of kindness.
فيin مَوكِبٍa procession كَالغَيثِlike rain سارَtraveled رُكابُهُits riders
في مَوكِبٍ كَالغَيثِ سارَ رُكابُهُ
بِشراًgood cheer وَحَلَّand arrived سَعادَةًhappiness وَرَخاءَand prosperity
بِشراً وَحَلَّ سَعادَةً وَرَخاءَ
In a procession like rain, whose riders advanced
With good cheer, and whose arrival brought happiness and prosperity.
أَنتَyou اللِواءُthe banner اِلتَفَّrallied قَومُكَyour people حَولَهُaround it
أَنتَ اللِواءُ اِلتَفَّ قَومُكَ حَولَهُ
وَالتاجُand the crown يَجعَلُهُmake it الشُعوبُthe peoples لِواءَa banner
وَالتاجُ يَجعَلُهُ الشُعوبُ لِواءَ
You are the banner around which your people have rallied,
And the crown that peoples make their banner.
مِنfrom كُلِّevery مِئذَنَةٍminaret سَمِعتَyou heard مَحَبَّةًlove
مِن كُلِّ مِئذَنَةٍ سَمِعتَ مَحَبَّةً
وَبِكُلِّand with every ناقوسٍchurch bell لَقيتَyou encountered دُعاءَa prayer
وَبِكُلِّ ناقوسٍ لَقيتَ دُعاءَ
From every minaret you have heard love,
And with every church bell you have encountered prayer.
يَتَأَلَّفانِthe two unite عَلىin الهُتافِacclaim كَماjust as اِنبَرىcame forward
يَتَأَلَّفانِ عَلى الهُتافِ كَما اِنبَرى
وَتَرٌa string يُسايِرُkeeps pace with فيin البَنانِthe fingers غِناءَsong
وَتَرٌ يُسايِرُ في البَنانِ غِناءَ
The two harmonize in acclaim, as there joins in
A string beneath the fingers, keeping pace with song.
Sol 6.1