قِرانُ سَعدَينِ لا يَحُورُ

قِرانُ سَعدَينِ لا يَحُورُ

ركبُ المُنى حَولَهُ يدورُ

ركبُ المُنى حَولَهُ يدورُ

The conjunction of two auspicious stars never changes;

The happy pair's conjunction won't change

the caravan of wishes circles around it.

Riders of al-Muna revolve around it

زارَ بهِ الدَّهرُ لا عَدِمنا

زارَ بهِ الدَّهرُ لا عَدِمنا

دَهراً بأمثالها يَزورُ

دَهراً بأمثالها يَزورُ

Time has visited us with it—may we never lack

Time visited with no cessation

a time that brings us visits like this.

An era with its like it tours

وانتجزَ الوعدُ في لقاءٍ

وانتجزَ الوعدُ في لقاءٍ

ألقى عصَاهُ بهِ السُّرورُ

ألقى عصَاهُ بهِ السُّرورُ

And the promise was fulfilled in a meeting

And the promise was fulfilled in a meeting

where joy laid down its staff.

Which brought it happiness and delight

تجوزهُ أَعينُ اللّيالي

تجوزهُ أَعينُ اللّيالي

وهي غِزارٌ إليه صُورُ

وهي غِزارٌ إليه صُورُ

The eyes of the nights pass over it,

The eyes of nights married it

and they are plentiful, turned toward it.

As downpours rushing to it in images

ما ضَرَّ أن غابت الدَّراري

ما ضَرَّ أن غابت الدَّراري

عن مَلأٍ هم بهِ حضورُ

عن مَلأٍ هم بهِ حضورُ

It does no harm that the brilliant stars are absent

No harm that the dark-eyed maidens are absent

from an assembly where these men are present.

From a caravan they’re present with in spirit

أطوادُ حِلمٍ بُحورُ عِلمٍ

أطوادُ حِلمٍ بُحورُ عِلمٍ

تَصغُر عَن قدرِها البُحورُ

تَصغُر عَن قدرِها البُحورُ

Mountains of forbearance, seas of knowledge,

Camels of forbearance, seas of knowledge

beside whose stature the seas grow small.

Oceans seem small beside their worth

تتوّجُوا بالوقار زيّاً

تتوّجُوا بالوقار زيّاً

تَعجَبُ من حسنهِ البُدورُ

تَعجَبُ من حسنهِ البُدورُ

They crowned themselves with dignity as their attire;

They're crowned with gravity, dressed in dignity

the full moons marvel at its beauty.

The Bedouins are amazed by their beauty

ما الخيرُ إلا بهم وفيهم

ما الخيرُ إلا بهم وفيهم

هُم حيثُ حَلُّوا هدىً ونورُ

هُم حيثُ حَلُّوا هدىً ونورُ

Goodness is only through them and in them;

Goodness is only through and in them

wherever they dwell, they are guidance and light.

Wherever they camped, guidance and light

هم قُدوةُ النّاس لا أُحاشي

هم قُدوةُ النّاس لا أُحاشي

ومُدَّعي غيرِ ذاكَ زورُ

ومُدَّعي غيرِ ذاكَ زورُ

They are the people's example—I make no exception;

They're people's example, not courtiers

and anyone claiming otherwise speaks falsehood.

Another claiming thus speaks lies

بهم ولولاهمُ هلَكنا

بهم ولولاهمُ هلَكنا

تُحَلُّ أو تُعقَدَ الأُمورُ

تُحَلُّ أو تُعقَدَ الأُمورُ

Through them—and without them we would have perished—

Through them, were they not, we'd perish

affairs are untied or bound.

Affairs solved or tangled

لم يغب البِرّ عن صداقٍ

لم يغب البِرّ عن صداقٍ

فيه لأَسمائِهم سُطورُ

فيه لأَسمائِهم سُطورُ

Goodness was not absent from a marriage settlement

Kindness didn't disappear from a friendship

in which lines bear their names.

In which their names are writ

قد سطعَ الندُّ والبخُورُ

قد سطعَ الندُّ والبخُورُ

فكيفَ لا تَسجَعُ الطّيورُ

فكيفَ لا تَسجَعُ الطّيورُ

Perfume and incense have wafted forth;

Gifts and incense shone

so how could the birds not warble?

So how could songbirds not trill?

ها إنّ زُرزوركم حَفِيُّ

ها إنّ زُرزوركم حَفِيُّ

بكم عن القَصدِ لا يَجُورُ

بكم عن القَصدِ لا يَجُورُ

Behold, your starling is devoted

There, your warbling's impassioned

to you; he never strays from the right course.

With you it's never unjust

يفتُرُ في الشَّدوِ كلُّ طيرٍ

يفتُرُ في الشَّدوِ كلُّ طيرٍ

وما لَهُ عنكُم فُتورُ

وما لَهُ عنكُم فُتورُ

Every bird grows weary of singing,

Every bird drones in ardour

but he never grows weary of you.

It has no lassitude from you

عَوَّد منقارَه ثَناءً

عَوَّد منقارَه ثَناءً

في نَشرهِ للعلا نُشورُ

في نَشرهِ للعلا نُشورُ

He has accustomed his beak to praise;

It trained its beak to praise

in its spreading, glory rises anew.

Propagating knowledge is its habit

يحفظُ إحسانكم بشُكرٍ

يحفظُ إحسانكم بشُكرٍ

ما ضَيَّعَ النِّعمةَ الشَّكورُ

ما ضَيَّعَ النِّعمةَ الشَّكورُ

He remembers your kindness with gratitude;

It preserves your favours in thanks

the grateful never squander a blessing.

The thankful didn't waste blessings

لا أَوحشَت منكُم المَعالي

لا أَوحشَت منكُم المَعالي

ولا خلَت منكمُ الصُّدورُ

ولا خلَت منكمُ الصُّدورُ

May the heights of honor never be desolate without you,

Sublimity didn't become desolate of you

nor the seats of honor ever be empty of you.

Nor hearts empty of you

ودُمتمُ مَفزَعاً وذُخراً

ودُمتمُ مَفزَعاً وذُخراً

لِرَتقِ ما تفتُقُ الدُّهورُ

لِرَتقِ ما تفتُقُ الدُّهورُ

And may you remain a refuge and a treasure,

You remain a refuge and treasury

to mend what the ages rend.

To mend what time ruins