فللظَّهْر من حَلبٍ منزلٌ

فللظَّهْر من حَلبٍ منزلٌ

تُثابُ العيونُ على حَجِّهِ

تُثابُ العيونُ على حَجِّهِ

On Aleppo’s upland is a dwelling-place

And on Aleppo’s upland there is a dwelling;

whose pilgrimage earns the eyes reward.

the eyes are rewarded for their pilgrimage to it.

أَعِدْ نحو جوشنِهِ نظرةً

أَعِدْ نحو جوشنِهِ نظرةً

إلى بيعتيه إلى بُرْجِه

إلى بيعتيه إلى بُرْجِه

Cast another glance toward its Jawshan,

Cast another glance toward its Jawshan,

toward its two churches, toward its tower,

toward its two churches, toward its tower,

إلى بانقوساهُ تلك التي

إلى بانقوساهُ تلك التي

حكتْ راكباً لاح من فَجِّه

حكتْ راكباً لاح من فَجِّه

toward its Bāniqūsā—that place which

toward its Bānqūsā, that one which

resembled a rider looming from its mountain pass—

resembled a rider coming into view from its mountain pass,

لترتاضَ نَفْسُكَ في رَوضِهِ

لترتاضَ نَفْسُكَ في رَوضِهِ

ويمرحَ طَرفُكَ في مَرْجِه

ويمرحَ طَرفُكَ في مَرْجِه

so that your soul may roam through its garden

so that your soul may find recreation in its garden,

and your gaze gambol in its meadow.

and your gaze may frolic in its meadow.

وقد نَظمَ الروضُ سِمطَيْه من

وقد نَظمَ الروضُ سِمطَيْه من

سنانِ قُويقٍ إلى زُجِّه

سنانِ قُويقٍ إلى زُجِّه

The garden has strung its twin necklaces from

And the garden has strung its two necklaces from

Quwayq’s spearpoint to its butt-spike:

Quwayq’s spearhead to its butt-spike.

كفرجِكَ خَفقتانَ وشيٍ بدا

كفرجِكَ خَفقتانَ وشيٍ بدا

بياضَ الغلالة من فرجه

بياضَ الغلالة من فرجه

like your sex—two fluttering folds of brocade—and there showed

[Wording unclear] Like your opening—two flutters of brocade—there appeared

the whiteness of the shift through its slit.

the whiteness of the undergown through its opening.