سَلامي وَإِن شَط المزار عَليكُما

سَلامي وَإِن شَط المزار عَليكُما

وَشَوق طَويل الذَيل لَيسَ لَهُ حَد

وَشَوق طَويل الذَيل لَيسَ لَهُ حَد

My greetings to you both, though the journey to visit you is far—

My greetings to you both, though the place of meeting is far,

and a longing with a long train, without end.

and longing with a long train and no limit.

سَلام كَعقد الدُر في جيد كاعب

سَلام كَعقد الدُر في جيد كاعب

يُحركها دل وَيثقلها عقد

يُحركها دل وَيثقلها عقد

A greeting like a necklace of pearls on a budding maiden’s neck,

A greeting like a necklace of pearls on a young maiden's neck,

stirred by her coy grace, while her necklace weighs her down.

whom coquetry sways and a necklace weighs down.

سَلام كطل في خُدود شَقائق

سَلام كطل في خُدود شَقائق

وَريح سَرى صُبحاً فَمالَ بِهِ الرند

وَريح سَرى صُبحاً فَمالَ بِهِ الرند

A greeting like dew upon the cheeks of anemones,

A greeting like dew on the cheeks of anemones,

and like a breeze that journeyed at morning, making the myrtle sway.

and a breeze that drifted at dawn, making the laurel sway.

سَلام حَكى في الطيب مِنكُم شَمائِلاً

سَلام حَكى في الطيب مِنكُم شَمائِلاً

فَما المسك وَالكافور وَالعطر وَالند

فَما المسك وَالكافور وَالعطر وَالند

A greeting whose fragrance mirrors virtues of yours—

A greeting whose fragrance mirrors your fine qualities—

what, then, are musk, camphor, perfume, and aloeswood?

what, then, are musk and camphor, perfume and incense?

سَلام عَلَيكُم نوَّر اللَه بُقعة

سَلام عَلَيكُم نوَّر اللَه بُقعة

حَلَلتُم بِها إِذ حَلها الفَخر وَالمَجد

حَلَلتُم بِها إِذ حَلها الفَخر وَالمَجد

Peace upon you both; may God illumine the place

Peace be upon you; may God illumine a place

where you have alighted, since pride and glory alighted there.

where you have settled, since pride and glory have settled there.

نَأَيتُم وَلَكن في سَواد نَوظري

نَأَيتُم وَلَكن في سَواد نَوظري

سَكَنتم فَلا قُرب لَدَي وَلا بعد

سَكَنتم فَلا قُرب لَدَي وَلا بعد

You have gone far, yet in the darkness of my gazing eyes

You have gone far away, yet in my eye's dark pupil

you dwell—so for me there is neither nearness nor distance.

you dwell; for me there is neither nearness nor distance.

فَيا سادَتي لا تَقصموا عقدة الولا

فَيا سادَتي لا تَقصموا عقدة الولا

فَإِني وَإِن شَط المزار لَكُم عَبد

فَإِني وَإِن شَط المزار لَكُم عَبد

O my masters, do not sever the bond of devotion;

So, my masters, do not break the knot of loyalty,

though the journey to visit you is far, I am your servant.

for, though the place of meeting is far, I am your slave.

لَئِن كانَ عَهد للمحبين واحد

لَئِن كانَ عَهد للمحبين واحد

فَلي كُل آن مِن محبتكم عَهد

فَلي كُل آن مِن محبتكم عَهد

If lovers have but a single covenant,

If lovers have but a single pledge,

then at every moment I have a covenant born of love for you.

then every moment brings me a pledge of love for you.

إِذا ما سَرَت ريح الصبا لِديارِكُم

إِذا ما سَرَت ريح الصبا لِديارِكُم

سَرَت مَعها روحي لأَنَّكُم القَصد

سَرَت مَعها روحي لأَنَّكُم القَصد

Whenever the east wind blows toward your dwellings,

Whenever the east wind travels toward your dwellings,

my soul travels with it, for you are its destination.

my soul travels with it, for you are its destination.

وَإِن سارَ بَرق نَحوكم مِن ديارنا

وَإِن سارَ بَرق نَحوكم مِن ديارنا

فَمِن نار قَلبي قَد سَرى ذَلِكَ الوَقد

فَمِن نار قَلبي قَد سَرى ذَلِكَ الوَقد

And whenever lightning travels toward you from our lands,

And if a lightning flash travels toward you from our dwellings,

that blaze has journeyed from the fire of my heart.

then that blaze has surely come from the fire of my heart.

طَهرتم فَبان المَجد وَالفَضل لِلوَرى

طَهرتم فَبان المَجد وَالفَضل لِلوَرى

وَلَولاكُم لَم يَعرف الفَضل وَالمَجد

وَلَولاكُم لَم يَعرف الفَضل وَالمَجد

You were pure, so glory and virtue became manifest to humankind;

You are pure; thus glory and excellence stand revealed to humankind,

but for you, virtue and glory would not be known.

and but for you, none would know excellence or glory.

كَأَن الوَرى يا آل يوسف دَوحة

كَأَن الوَرى يا آل يوسف دَوحة

وَأَنتُم لَها الزهر المفتح وَالوَرد

وَأَنتُم لَها الزهر المفتح وَالوَرد

It is as though all humankind, O House of Joseph, were a spreading tree,

It is as though humankind, O house of Yusuf, were a spreading tree,

and you its opening blossoms and its roses.

and you its blossoming flowers and roses.

كَأن جِهات الكَون أَضحَت مجامراً

كَأن جِهات الكَون أَضحَت مجامراً

فَأَخلاقكم نار وَأَخلاقُكُم ند

فَأَخلاقكم نار وَأَخلاقُكُم ند

It is as though the quarters of the universe had become censers:

As though the quarters of the universe had become censers,

your character is their fire, and your character their aloeswood.

for your virtues are fire, and your virtues are incense.

وَفي لَفظِكُم نظم سَما وَحَلاوة

وَفي لَفظِكُم نظم سَما وَحَلاوة

قَضَت أنكُم در وَأَلفاظكم شهد

قَضَت أنكُم در وَأَلفاظكم شهد

In your speech is verse that soars, and sweetness

And in your speech are lofty verse and a sweetness

declaring that you are pearls and your words are honey.

that declares you pearls, and your words honey.

وَفي سَبقكم مَعنى يُحقق أنكم

وَفي سَبقكم مَعنى يُحقق أنكم

خُيول رِهان ما لمضماركم حَد

خُيول رِهان ما لمضماركم حَد

And in your precedence lies a meaning proving that you are

And in your taking the lead lies a sign confirming that you are

racehorses whose course has no bound.

racehorses, with no limit to your racecourse.

رَوَت عَنكُم الدُنيا أَحاديث سُؤدد

رَوَت عَنكُم الدُنيا أَحاديث سُؤدد

صحائفها شكر وَأقلامها حمد

صحائفها شكر وَأقلامها حمد

The world has recounted tales of your noble eminence;

The world has recounted tales of your nobility,

its pages are gratitude, and its pens are praise.

their pages gratitude, and their pens praise.

غَدَت في الدنا مَشهورة حَيث إنَّكُم

غَدَت في الدنا مَشهورة حَيث إنَّكُم

سُيوف جلال وَالقلوب لَها غمد

سُيوف جلال وَالقلوب لَها غمد

Those tales grew renowned throughout the world, since you are

They have become renowned throughout the world, for you are

swords of majesty, with hearts for their sheaths.

swords of majesty, and hearts are their sheath.

إِذا ما عمت عَن فَضلكم عَين أَرمد

إِذا ما عمت عَن فَضلكم عَين أَرمد

فَلا ضَير أن الشَمس تجحدها الرمد

فَلا ضَير أن الشَمس تجحدها الرمد

If a rheumy eye is blind to your merit,

If a sore-eyed person's eye is blind to your excellence,

there is no harm: inflamed eyes deny even the sun.

there is no harm if the sore-eyed deny the sun.

ألا فاعذروني في اِنقِطاع رَسائِلي

ألا فاعذروني في اِنقِطاع رَسائِلي

فَأَنتُم بِقَلبي إن تروحوا وَإن تغذوا

فَأَنتُم بِقَلبي إن تروحوا وَإن تغذوا

Now forgive me for the interruption of my letters;

Pray, excuse me for the interruption of my letters,

you are in my heart, whether you go at evening or at morning.

for you are in my heart, whether you go at evening or at dawn.

وَما ذاكَ عَن تَقصير نَفس مشوقة

وَما ذاكَ عَن تَقصير نَفس مشوقة

وَلَكن لأشغال يَضيق بِها العَد

وَلَكن لأشغال يَضيق بِها العَد

This is not from neglect by a yearning soul,

This is not through neglect by a soul full of longing,

but from concerns too many to count.

but because of tasks too numerous to count.

فَلا زِلتُم نوراً يضيء لِناظر

فَلا زِلتُم نوراً يضيء لِناظر

وَيَنبحه الكَلب العقور أَو القرد

وَيَنبحه الكَلب العقور أَو القرد

May you ever remain a light shining for every beholder,

So may you never cease to be a light shining for the beholder,

though the vicious dog—or the ape—may bark at it.

while the vicious dog or the monkey barks at it.

وَلا بَرحت أَعماركم في صِيانة

وَلا بَرحت أَعماركم في صِيانة

يَطيب لَكُم في صَفوِها الشرب وَالوَرد

يَطيب لَكُم في صَفوِها الشرب وَالوَرد

And may your lives remain forever safeguarded,

And may your lives ever remain in safekeeping,

with both drink and watering-place sweet to you in their serenity,

may drinking and coming to water be sweet to you in their serenity,

مَدى الدَهر ما سارَت إِلَيكُم تَحية

مَدى الدَهر ما سارَت إِلَيكُم تَحية

وَشَوق طَويل الذَيل لَيسَ لَهُ حَد

وَشَوق طَويل الذَيل لَيسَ لَهُ حَد

throughout all time, so long as a greeting travels to you,

throughout all time, as long as a greeting travels to you,

and a longing with a long train, without end.

and longing with a long train and no limit.