حيَّتْ فأحيت مهجةَ المشتاقِ

حيَّتْ فأحيت مهجةَ المشتاقِ

مِن بعد ما أورى من الأشواقِ

مِن بعد ما أورى من الأشواقِ

She gave a greeting, and revived the yearning lover's heart,

You greeted, so you revived the passion of the longing one

After the fires that longing had kindled.

After what he felt of yearning

ودنت فما أزكى الربى بأريجها

ودنت فما أزكى الربى بأريجها

ورنت فما أمضى ضبي الأحداقِ

ورنت فما أمضى ضبي الأحداقِ

And she drew near—how fragrant the hills were with her scent!

You approached, so how fragrant is the breeze with its scent

And she gazed—how keen the blades of her eyes!

You rang, so how soothing is the blinking of the eyes

وتداركت جسماً تولاهُ الضنا

وتداركت جسماً تولاهُ الضنا

حيناً ونفساً آذنت بفراقِ

حيناً ونفساً آذنت بفراقِ

And she rescued a body seized by wasting sickness,

And you tended to a body worn by grief

For a time, and a soul that had signaled its departure.

At times, and a soul that bid farewell

وتلافت الصب الذي لم يخشَ في

وتلافت الصب الذي لم يخشَ في

عشق الملاح مصارع العشاق

عشق الملاح مصارع العشاق

And she saved the lovesick lover, who did not fear, in

And the youth who did not fear in

Loving the fair, the deaths of lovers.

Loving the sailor, the struggles of the lovers

من بعد ما عبثت به أيدي الهوى

من بعد ما عبثت به أيدي الهوى

وسطا عليه الدهر بالإرهاقِ

وسطا عليه الدهر بالإرهاقِ

After the hands of passion had toyed with him,

After the hands of passion toyed with him

And time had assailed him with exhaustion.

And time burdened him with exhaustion

لم أنس زورتها وقد زحفت على

لم أنس زورتها وقد زحفت على

جيش الفراق دجىً بجيش تلاقِ

جيش الفراق دجىً بجيش تلاقِ

I have not forgotten her visit, when she advanced against

I did not forget your visit after the army

The army of separation in darkness, with an army of reunion.

Of separation crept in the darkness with the army of reunion

زارت فأمسى منزلي بقدومها

زارت فأمسى منزلي بقدومها

كسناءِ خيري باهر الأشواقِ

كسناءِ خيري باهر الأشواقِ

She visited, and with her arrival my home became

You visited so my dwelling became in your arrival

Like the radiance of Khayri, who overwhelms longings—

Like the brilliance of my best days, magnificent with yearning

الثابت الجأش الرفيع مقامهُ

الثابت الجأش الرفيع مقامهُ

عذب السجايا طيب الأخلاقِ

عذب السجايا طيب الأخلاقِ

Steadfast of heart, exalted in his station,

Firm, noble, lofty in status

Sweet in disposition, good in character.

Sweet, refined in manners

تزهو المدارس مذ تولاها فيا

تزهو المدارس مذ تولاها فيا

بشرى المعارفُ باتساعِ نطاقِ

بشرى المعارفُ باتساعِ نطاقِ

The schools have flourished since he took charge of them—what

The schools bloom since you undertook them

Glad tidings for learning as its reach expands!

Good tidings of knowledge with the breadth of scope

نصبت لها منه رفيع سرادقٍ

نصبت لها منه رفيع سرادقٍ

وامتد منه لها جميل رواقِ

وامتد منه لها جميل رواقِ

Through him, a lofty pavilion was raised for it,

I pitched for you a lofty canopy

And a lovely portico stretched from him for it.

And a beautiful porch extended from it for you

فتهنّ يا رب المعارفِ واقترح

فتهنّ يا رب المعارفِ واقترح

ما شئتهُ وترقَّ كل تراقِ

ما شئتهُ وترقَّ كل تراقِ

So rejoice, O master of learning, and ask for

So be delighted, O Lord of knowledge, and propose

Whatever you wish, and rise to every height.

What you will, and every subtlety thrives