بَرٌّ وبحر جَفاه الوحشُ والسَّمَكُ

بَرٌّ وبحر جَفاه الوحشُ والسَّمَكُ

معنى الجِنانِ به والنارِ مشتَرَكُ

معنى الجِنانِ به والنارِ مشتَرَكُ

A land and a sea, shunned by beast and fish,

A land and a sea shunned by wild beasts and fish.

Where the meanings of gardens and fire are joined.

In it, the qualities of Paradise and Hell combine.

لا يَطرُق القَمَران الدهرَ ساحتَه

لا يَطرُق القَمَران الدهرَ ساحتَه

بلِ البدورُ به والشمس والفَلك

بلِ البدورُ به والشمس والفَلك

Neither of the two luminaries ever enters its courtyard;

The sun and moon never visit its courtyard,

Rather, within it are full moons, the sun, and the celestial sphere.

yet full moons, the sun, and the firmament are within it.

يكسو المقيم به ذلا ومكرمة

يكسو المقيم به ذلا ومكرمة

فيستوي فيهما السَّفْسافُ والملك

فيستوي فيهما السَّفْسافُ والملك

It clothes whoever stays there in abasement and honor,

It clothes its occupant in humiliation and honor,

So in both the lowly man and the king are equal.

so in both the lowly and the king are equal.

سماؤه الأرضُ ذات الزهر مونقةً

سماؤه الأرضُ ذات الزهر مونقةً

والأرض فيه سماءٌ ما لها حُبُك

والأرض فيه سماءٌ ما لها حُبُك

Its heaven is the flower-bearing earth, radiant,

Its sky is the earth, lovely with flowers,

And its earth is a sky without woven courses.

and its earth is a sky without woven patterns.

يَلْقاك من بابه عمرو وعنترةٌ

يَلْقاك من بابه عمرو وعنترةٌ

فيَسْلبانك ما تحوي وتمتلك

فيَسْلبانك ما تحوي وتمتلك

At its door you encounter ʿAmr and ʿAntarah,

Amr and Antarah meet you at its door,

And they strip you of all you carry and possess.

so they both rob you of what you hold and own.