حَلَّunfastened أَزرارَthe buttons of جَنَّةِthe paradise of الزَبَدانيZabadani
حَلَّ أَزرارَ جَنَّةِ الزَبَداني
زائِرٌa visitor حَلَّsettled مِنهُof it خَيرَthe finest مَغانِabodes
زائِرٌ حَلَّ مِنهُ خَيرَ مَغانِ
The buttons of Zabadani's paradise were unfastened
The visitor who came from Jabal Al Zabadani
by a visitor who settled in its finest abodes.
Is the best of all who came from Bouan's mountains
هُوَit خَيرٌbetter مِنthan شِعبِthe valley of بَوّانَBawwan إِنif رَبdwelt (first part)
هُوَ خَيرٌ مِن شِعبِ بَوّانَ إِن رَب
بَعَdwelt (completion) فيهِin it الرَبيعُspring كُلَّevery أَوانِseason
بَعَ فيهِ الرَبيعُ كُلَّ أَوانِ
It is finer than the valley of Bawwan, if
When spring settled there in every season
spring dwells there in every season.
Came the wise Abu Al-Fath, the young philosopher full of kindness
ذاكَthat إِذwhen زارَهُhe visited it الحَكيمُthe sage أَبوAbu (father of) الal- (the)
ذاكَ إِذ زارَهُ الحَكيمُ أَبو ال
فَتحِFath الفَتىthe young man الفَيلَسوفُthe philosopher ذوpossessor of الإِحسانِkindness
فَتحِ الفَتى الفَيلَسوفُ ذو الإِحسانِ
That was when the sage visited it, Abu al-
His eyes were delighted by Madyan's waters that remained
Fath, the young philosopher, a man of kindness.
So for those eyes many thanks
أَطرَبَتهُdelighted him عَيناthe two springs of مَضاياMadaya وَبَقَّيand Baqqayn (first part)
أَطرَبَتهُ عَينا مَضايا وَبَقَّي
نَBaqqayn (completion) فَلِلَهِso, to God تانِكَthose two العَينانِthe two springs
نَ فَلِلَهِ تانِكَ العَينانِ
The two springs of Madaya and Baqqayn delighted him—
Then the big spring, treat it well, it is
God be praised for those two springs!
Water and the spring of Baloudan
ثُمَّthen عَينُthe spring of الكُبرىal-Kubra وَأَحسِنand how fine بِهاwith it عَيa spring (first part)
ثُمَّ عَينُ الكُبرى وَأَحسِن بِها عَي
ناًa spring (completion) وَماءًand water وَعَينُand the spring of بَلودانِBludan
ناً وَماءً وَعَينُ بَلودانِ
Then al-Kubra Spring—how fine a spring it is,
And if you want to see the coast and the plains
and how fine its water!—and the spring of Bludan.
Then ascend the cliffs of Meryounan
وَإِذاand if شِئتَyou wish أَنto تَرىyou see البَحرَthe sea وَالساand the shore (first part)
وَإِذا شِئتَ أَن تَرى البَحرَ وَالسا
حِلَshore (completion) فَاِصعَدthen climb يَفاعَthe heights of مَريونانِMaryunan
حِلَ فَاِصعَد يَفاعَ مَريونانِ
And if you wish to see the sea and the shore,
Indeed Anba Saba of Deir Qubais
climb the heights of Maryunan.
Is glorious, the most profound in meaning
إِنَّindeed أَنباAbba (Father) ساباSaba بديرat the monastery of قُبَيسٍQubays
إِنَّ أَنبا سابا بدير قُبَيسٍ
لَجَليلٌtruly venerable وَهوَand he is الدَقيقsubtle المَعانيmeanings
لَجَليلٌ وَهوَ الدَقيق المَعاني
Indeed, Abba Saba, at the monastery of Qubays,
Safe from the ignorance of the blind
is truly venerable and subtle in thought.
Excellent, far from the ignorance of the content
آمِنٌsafe مِنfrom مَعَرَّةِthe harm of العُميانِthe blind
آمِنٌ مِن مَعَرَّةِ العُميانِ
فاضِلٌvirtuous مِنfrom مَعَرَّةِMa'arrat النُعمانِal-Nu'man
فاضِلٌ مِن مَعَرَّةِ النُعمانِ
Safe from the harm of the blind,
And with him, cups shine like suns
a virtuous man from Ma'arrat al-Nu'man.
And darkness in the monks' monasteries
وَلَدَيهِand with him تَجلوyou make shine الكُؤوسَthe cups شُموساًas suns
وَلَدَيهِ تَجلو الكُؤوسَ شُموساً
وَالدُجىand darkness فيin مَدارِعِthe robes of الرُهبانِthe monks
وَالدُجى في مَدارِعِ الرُهبانِ
With him, you make the cups shine like suns,
O Abu Al-Fath, you visited gardens
while darkness lies in the monks' robes.
While we burn in passion
ياO أَباAbu (vocative) الفَتحِal-Fath أَنتَyou زُرتَyou visited جناناًparadises
يا أَبا الفَتحِ أَنتَ زُرتَ جناناً
وَثَوَيناand we dwelt بِالشَوقِin longing فيin نيرانِflames
وَثَوَينا بِالشَوقِ في نيرانِ
O Abu al-Fath, you visited paradises,
May God protect you wherever you are, neighbor
while we, in longing, dwelt amid flames.
Defending you from the rumors of the envious
فلكso, for you اللَهGod حَيثُماwherever كُنتyou may be جاراًa protector
فلك اللَه حَيثُما كُنت جاراً
دافِعٌwarding off عَنكَfrom you طارِقَthe night visitor of الحَدَثانِmisfortune
دافِعٌ عَنكَ طارِقَ الحَدَثانِ
So may God be your protector wherever you are,
warding off misfortune's night visitor from you.
Partial English translation: 20 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1