ياO سادةًmasters لماwhen بَعُدْناwe grew distant عنهمُfrom them
يا سادةً لما بَعُدْنا عنهمُ
بَعُدَتْgrew distant مودتهمُtheir affection وعزَّand became difficult مرامُa goal
بَعُدَتْ مودتهمُ وعزَّ مرامُ
O masters, when we grew distant from them,
Their affection grew remote, and the goal became hard to attain.
الشوقُlonging أعظمُtoo great أنْfor … to يحيطَencompass بوصفِهِits description
الشوقُ أعظمُ أنْ يحيطَ بوصفِهِ
كتبٌbooks وتبلغُand reach حدَّهُits bounds الأقلامُthe pens
كتبٌ وتبلغُ حدَّهُ الأقلامُ
Longing is too great for its description to be encompassed
By books, or for pens to reach its bounds.
ودِّيmy love لكمْfor you وديmy love وعهديand my pledge بعدكمafter parting from you
ودِّي لكمْ ودي وعهدي بعدكم
عهديmy pledge وإنْand even if لمْnot تجمعِbring together الأيامُthe days
عهدي وإنْ لمْ تجمعِ الأيامُ
My love for you is still my love, and my pledge after parting from you
Is still my pledge, though the days have not brought us together.
فعليكمُso upon you وعلىand upon حمىًa sanctuary أنتمْyou بهِin it
فعليكمُ وعلى حمىً أنتمْ بهِ
وعلىand upon دمشقَDamascus تحيَّةٌa greeting وسلامُand peace
وعلى دمشقَ تحيَّةٌ وسلامُ
So upon you, and upon the sanctuary where you dwell,
And upon Damascus, be greetings and peace.
Sol 6.1