يا حسن دير سعيد إذ مررت به

يا حسن دير سعيد إذ مررت به

والأرض بالزهر في وشى وديباح

والأرض بالزهر في وشى وديباح

How lovely was Sa‘id’s monastery when I passed by it,

O Hasan, pass by happy Sa'id,

And the earth wore floral embroidery and brocade.

Where the land is adorned with flowers and plants.

فما ترى غصنا إلا وزهرته

فما ترى غصنا إلا وزهرته

تجلوه في جبة منها ودواج

تجلوه في جبة منها ودواج

You see no branch but its blossom

You will not see a branch without blossoms

Adorns it in a tunic and a mantle of its own.

Beautifying it like a robe with trimming.

وللنسيم على الغدران رفرفة

وللنسيم على الغدران رفرفة

يزورها فتلقاه بأمواج

يزورها فتلقاه بأمواج

And the breeze flutters over the pools;

And the breeze has a fluttering

It visits them, and they greet it with waves.

Over the hills, which welcome it with waves.

وقولتي والتفاتي عند منصرفي

وقولتي والتفاتي عند منصرفي

والشوق يزعج قلبي أيّ إزعاج

والشوق يزعج قلبي أيّ إزعاج

And my words, and my backward glance as I departed,

My words and glances when I turned away,

While longing stirred my heart so fiercely:

And yearning troubles my heart, what trouble!

يا دير يا ليشت داري في فنائك ذا

يا دير يا ليشت داري في فنائك ذا

أوليت أنك لي في درب دراج

أوليت أنك لي في درب دراج

“O monastery, would that my home were in this courtyard of yours,

O monastery, if only my house were in your courtyard

Or would that you were mine in Darraj Lane!”

I would think you brought me along the monk's path

ولست أنسى نديمي وسط هيكله

ولست أنسى نديمي وسط هيكله

حتى الصباح غزالا طرفه ساجي

حتى الصباح غزالا طرفه ساجي

Nor do I forget my drinking companion within his sanctuary,

I will not forget my friend inside its temple

There till morning—a gazelle with a languid gaze.

Until dawn, whose eyelids are sleepy.

أسف كاساتها طاب الزمان ضحا

أسف كاساتها طاب الزمان ضحا

حقا وألثم عيني لعبة العاج

حقا وألثم عيني لعبة العاج

I sip her cups; time grows sweet in the forenoon—

The wine glasses were pure, and time was good

Truly—and kiss the two eyes of an ivory doll.

Truly, and my eyes played with ivory.