أَلقَصرُ فالنَخلُ فَالجَمّاءُ بَينَهُما

أَلقَصرُ فالنَخلُ فَالجَمّاءُ بَينَهُما

أَشهى إِلى القَلبِ مِن أَبوابِ جَيرونِ

أَشهى إِلى القَلبِ مِن أَبوابِ جَيرونِ

The palace, then the palms, and al-Jammāʾ between them,

The palace, the palm trees, and the sand dunes between them

Are sweeter to the heart than the gates of Jayrūn.

Are dearer to my heart than the gates of Girona

إِلى البَلاطِ فَما حَازَت قَرَائِنُهُ

إِلى البَلاطِ فَما حَازَت قَرَائِنُهُ

دُورٌ نَزَحنَ عَن الفَحشاءِ والهونِ

دُورٌ نَزَحنَ عَن الفَحشاءِ والهونِ

As far as al-Balāṭ, and what its neighboring places encompass—

To the court, though its likenesses have not attained

Homes far removed from indecency and disgrace.

Abodes that recoiled from vulgarity and baseness

قَد تَكتُمُ الناسُ أَسراراً وَأَعلَمُها

قَد تَكتُمُ الناسُ أَسراراً وَأَعلَمُها

وَلا يَنالونَ طِوالَ الدَهرِ مَكنوني

وَلا يَنالونَ طِوالَ الدَهرِ مَكنوني

People may conceal secrets, yet I know them,

People may conceal secrets while I know them

And never, through all time, do they uncover my hidden secret.

And they cannot attain what I keep hidden for ages

لا يَصرِمُ الوُدَّ مِنّي بُعدُ دارِهُم

لا يَصرِمُ الوُدَّ مِنّي بُعدُ دارِهُم

وَلا تَطاولُ هَذا الدَهرِ يُسليَني

وَلا تَطاولُ هَذا الدَهرِ يُسليَني

The remoteness of their home does not sever my love,

Affection for them does not diminish from me after their homes

Nor does the long passage of this age make me forget.

Nor will the vicissitudes of this life ever console me