هَناءٌjoy كعَرفlike the fragrance of الزّهْرِthe flowers للمُتَنَسّمِfor one inhaling fragrance
هَناءٌ كعَرف الزّهْرِ للمُتَنَسّمِ
وبُشْرَىand glad tidings كنورِlike the radiance of الزّهرِthe flowers للمُتَوسّمِfor the discerning beholder
وبُشْرَى كنورِ الزّهرِ للمُتَوسّمِ
Joy, like the fragrance of flowers to one breathing it in,
A delight like the scent for one who inhales,
and glad tidings, like flowers' radiance to the discerning beholder.
And good tidings like the glow for one adorned.
فقدfor indeed قامَتhas risen الدنياthe world علىon قدَمِthe foot of الرّضَىcontentment
فقد قامَت الدنيا على قدَمِ الرّضَى
تهنّئُcongratulates موْلاناour lord بأسْعَدِon the most auspicious مَقْدَمِarrival
تهنّئُ موْلانا بأسْعَدِ مَقْدَمِ
For the world has risen to its feet in gladness,
So the world rose on the foot of pleasure,
congratulating our lord on the most auspicious arrival.
Congratulating our Master on the happiest arrival.
وقدand indeed لهِجَspoke eagerly الإسْلامُIslam حتّىuntil كأنّهُas though it
وقد لهِجَ الإسْلامُ حتّى كأنّهُ
يُشيرُgestures لعُلْياهُtoward his eminence بكفِّwith the palm of مُسَلّمِone offering greetings
يُشيرُ لعُلْياهُ بكفِّ مُسَلّمِ
And Islam has spoken so eagerly that it seems
And Islam has resounded as if
to gesture toward his eminence with a palm raised in greeting.
It gestures to its heights with a submitting palm.
ورَقّand grew tender ثناءًin praise كُلُّevery لَفْظٍword مُمَنَّعٍunyielding
ورَقّ ثناءً كُلُّ لَفْظٍ مُمَنَّعٍ
وراقَand became lovely انْثِناءًin bending كُلُّevery غُصْنٍbranch منعَّمِluxuriant
وراقَ انْثِناءً كُلُّ غُصْنٍ منعَّمِ
And every unyielding word grew tender in praise,
And praise, every guarded utterance, has fluttered,
and every luxuriant branch was lovely in its bending.
And every pliant branch has swayed with devotion.
لذلكtherefore عَرْفُthe fragrance of الروْضِthe garden عنْهاof it مُتَرْجمٌan interpreter
لذلك عَرْفُ الروْضِ عنْها مُتَرْجمٌ
وترْجيعُand the trilling of شَدْوِthe song of الطائِرِthe bird المترنِّمِwarbling
وترْجيعُ شَدْوِ الطائِرِ المترنِّمِ
The garden's fragrance therefore gives voice to it,
So the meadow's fragrance interprets it,
as does the trilling song of the warbling bird.
And the warbling of the singing bird modulates it.
لمالَقَةٍfor Málaga حقَّis rightfully due التَّشَرُّفُhonor إذsince لَهاit has
لمالَقَةٍ حقَّ التَّشَرُّفُ إذ لَها
بناصِرthrough the champion of دينthe faith of اللهِGod فضْلُthe distinction of التّقدُّمِprecedence
بناصِر دين اللهِ فضْلُ التّقدُّمِ
Honor is Málaga's due, for it has
For the encounter is truly an honor, since for it
the distinction of precedence through the champion of God's faith.
The supporters of Allah's religion have precedence.
ومُحْدَثُهاand its new-built dwelling جادَmay it water abundantly الحَياthe rain معْهَداًan abode لهُfor him
ومُحْدَثُها جادَ الحَيا معْهَداً لهُ
وعهْداًand a time كريماًnoble فيهِwithin it غيْرَnot مُذَمَّمِblameworthy
وعهْداً كريماً فيهِ غيْرَ مُذَمَّمِ
And its new-built dwelling: may rain water that abode of his
And its initiator traveled the horizons, pledging
and the noble, blameless time he spent within it!
A generous covenant in which there is no blemish.
فلِلهِso, by God منهُof it منزِلٌa dwelling جاءَhas come أُفْقُهُits horizon
فلِلهِ منهُ منزِلٌ جاءَ أُفْقُهُ
ببَدْرٍwith a full moon منfrom الوَجْهِthe face الكَريمِnoble مُتَمَّمِperfected
ببَدْرٍ من الوَجْهِ الكَريمِ مُتَمَّمِ
By God, what a dwelling it is, whose horizon has brought forth
So to Allah belongs a station he arrived, its horizon
a perfect full moon of that noble face!
Fulfilled with a moon from the perfect, noble face.
ولكنّbut منof شأنthe nature of البُدورِfull moons انتقالُهاtheir moving on
ولكنّ من شأن البُدورِ انتقالُها
وماand not الكرُّthe returning charge إلاexcept للجَوادِfor the steed المُطهَّمِfinely formed
وما الكرُّ إلا للجَوادِ المُطهَّمِ
But it is the way of full moons to move on,
But it is the nature of full moons to move on,
and the returning charge belongs only to the finely formed steed.
As running is only for the noble horse with stamina.
وغرْناطَةٌand Granada للهِby God منهاwithin it مَعاهِدٌhaunts
وغرْناطَةٌ للهِ منها مَعاهِدٌ
تعيرُlend الخليّthe carefree القَلبِof heart وجْدَthe passion of المُتيَّمِone enslaved by love
تعيرُ الخليّ القَلبِ وجْدَ المُتيَّمِ
And Granada—by God, what haunts it holds,
And Granada, Allah has made with it a covenant
that lend a carefree heart the passion of one enslaved by love!
That saddens the heart and fills the grieving with sorrow.
وغرْناطَةٌand Granada دارُthe seat of الخِلافةِthe caliphate لمْnot تَزَلْcease
وغرْناطَةٌ دارُ الخِلافةِ لمْ تَزَلْ
مجالاًan arena لأفراسِfor the horses of الخَميسِthe army العَرَمرَمِvast
مجالاً لأفراسِ الخَميسِ العَرَمرَمِ
And Granada, the seat of the caliphate, has always been
Granada, seat of the Caliphate, has never ceased
an arena for the steeds of the vast army.
To be a racecourse for the five Pigeon horses.
أيُجْهَلُis it unknown? فيin مِصرٍEgypt وشامٍand Syria حديثُهاits story
أيُجْهَلُ في مِصرٍ وشامٍ حديثُها
وشمْسُand the sun of الضحىmidmorning ماnot نورُهاits light بمُكتَّمِconcealed
وشمْسُ الضحى ما نورُها بمُكتَّمِ
Can its story be unknown in Egypt and Syria,
Can its tale be unknown in Egypt and Levant
when the midmorning sun's light cannot be hidden?
While the morning sun, its light is not concealed?
لقدindeed حلhe settled بالحَمراءِin the Alhambra هالَةَthe halo of مُلْكِهhis sovereignty
لقد حل بالحَمراءِ هالَةَ مُلْكِه
ولاحَand shone بهاthere بَدْراًas a full moon يُحَفُّis surrounded بأنجُمِby stars
ولاحَ بها بَدْراً يُحَفُّ بأنجُمِ
He has indeed settled in the Alhambra, the halo of his sovereignty,
Indeed, its kingdom's halo settled on the Red City,
and shone there as a full moon surrounded by stars.
And with it shone a moon encircled by stars.
أيُنْسبُis it attributed? للبَدْرِto the full moon المُتَمّمِperfect نورُهُhis light
أيُنْسبُ للبَدْرِ المُتَمّمِ نورُهُ
وقدand perhaps يختفيdisappears فيin جَوّهِits sky المُتغيِّمِclouded
وقد يختفي في جَوّهِ المُتغيِّمِ
Can his radiance be attributed to the perfect full moon,
Can its light be attributed to the perfected moon
when it may disappear in its clouded sky?
When it can disappear in the clouded atmosphere?
أيُرْوَىis it recounted? عنon the authority of الرّوضِthe garden الأنيقِlovely ثَناؤُهُpraise of him
أيُرْوَى عن الرّوضِ الأنيقِ ثَناؤُهُ
ومنهُand from him اسْتفادَgained الزهْرُthe flowers طيبَthe sweetness of التّنسُّمِbreathing in fragrance
ومنهُ اسْتفادَ الزهْرُ طيبَ التّنسُّمِ
Can his praise be told on the lovely garden's authority,
Can its praise of the elegant garden be watered
when the flowers have drawn their sweet scent from him?
When the blossoms have benefited from its sweet scent?
أتُعْزىis it ascribed? إلىto الغَيْثِthe rain الملثِّunceasing يَمينُهُhis right hand
أتُعْزى إلى الغَيْثِ الملثِّ يَمينُهُ
وماand not ساجَلَتْهاrivaled it فيin ندىًbounty وتكرُّمِand generosity
وما ساجَلَتْها في ندىً وتكرُّمِ
Can his right hand be likened to the ceaseless rain,
Can its bounty be traced to the pouring rain
when rain has not matched it in bounty and generosity?
When it has never competed with it in dew and generosity?
ندَىthe bounty of يدِهِhis hand العُلْياexalted غَمامٌa cloud وسَيفُهُand his sword
ندَى يدِهِ العُلْيا غَمامٌ وسَيفُهُ
وَميضٌa flash بأفْقٍacross a horizon للعجاجَةِbecause of dust مُظْلِمُdarkened
وَميضٌ بأفْقٍ للعجاجَةِ مُظْلِمُ
The bounty of his exalted hand is a cloud, and his sword
The clouds of its rain threaten to shed tears
a flash across a horizon darkened by dust.
When the light of the smiling lightning flashes.
كذلكlikewise سُحْبُthe clouds of الغيْثِrain تَهميpour down دُموعُهاtheir tears
كذلك سُحْبُ الغيْثِ تَهمي دُموعُها
إذاwhen لاحَgleamed نورُthe light of البارقlightning المُتَبسّمِsmiling
إذا لاحَ نورُ البارق المُتَبسّمِ
Likewise, the rain clouds pour forth their tears
When it bared its blade on the day of battle,
when the light of smiling lightning gleams.
The religion donned a garb of power and banners.
إذاwhen هوhe فيon يوْمِthe day of الوغَىbattle جرّدَunsheathed الظّباthe sword-blades
إذا هو في يوْمِ الوغَى جرّدَ الظّبا
غَداbecame الدّينُthe faith فيin ثَوْبٍa robe منof العِزِّglory مُعْلَمِemblazoned
غَدا الدّينُ في ثَوْبٍ من العِزِّ مُعْلَمِ
When, on the day of battle, he unsheathes the blades,
And when it raised red banners as signals,
the faith is clad in an emblazoned robe of glory.
It folded every quarter for the enemy and its flags.
وإنand if نشرَunfurled الأعْلامَthe banners حُمْراًred خَوافِقاًfluttering
وإن نشرَ الأعْلامَ حُمْراً خَوافِقاً
طَوَىfolded away كُلَّevery ربْعٍdwelling للعَدوّof the enemy ومَعْلَمِand landmark
طَوَى كُلَّ ربْعٍ للعَدوّ ومَعْلَمِ
And if he unfurls red, fluttering banners,
My Lord, your achievements that are
he folds away every dwelling and landmark of the foe.
Like meteors cannot be counted by my mouth or my fingers.
أمَولايَO my lord لاnot يُحْصيcounts مآثِرَكyour glorious deeds التيwhich
أمَولايَ لا يُحْصي مآثِرَك التي
هيَthey are الشهْبُthe bright stars تُسْتَجْلَىare revealed to sight بَنانيmy fingertips ولاnor فَمِيmy mouth
هيَ الشهْبُ تُسْتَجْلَى بَناني ولا فَمِي
O my lord, your glorious deeds cannot be numbered—deeds that
And what can this servant set forth of them, when
are bright stars revealed to sight—by my fingertips or my mouth.
Your praise has come in decisive, binding scripture?
وماذاand what ينُصُّsets down العبْدُthe servant منهاof them وقدْwhen already أتىhas come
وماذا ينُصُّ العبْدُ منها وقدْ أتى
ثَناؤكَpraise of you فيin نصٍّa passage منof الذّكْرthe Revelation مُحْكَمِunambiguous
ثَناؤكَ في نصٍّ من الذّكْر مُحْكَمِ
And what of them can this servant set down, when there has come
If I heed them like the abundant rain,
praise of you in a clear passage of the Revelation?
My words will go like the resolved, piercing sword.
وإنّand indeed يَراعيmy reed pen كالذوابِلِlike slender lances شُرَّعاًleveled
وإنّ يَراعي كالذوابِلِ شُرَّعاً
ولفْظيَand my speech يمْضيcuts through كالحُسامِlike a sharp sword المُصَمِّمِbone-cleaving
ولفْظيَ يمْضي كالحُسامِ المُصَمِّمِ
And indeed my reed pen is like leveled, slender lances,
My heart has not been shaken by tribulations, after
and my speech cuts through like a bone-cleaving sword.
I turned about in your blessings, O best Granter.
وماand not روّعتْterrified قلبيmy heart الحوادثُcalamities بعْدَماafter
وما روّعتْ قلبي الحوادثُ بعْدَما
تقلّبْتُI moved about فيamid نعماكَyour favors ياO خيرَbest مُنْعِمِbenefactor
تقلّبْتُ في نعماكَ يا خيرَ مُنْعِمِ
And no calamities have frightened my heart since
But I fear the saying of a slanderer
I have lived amid your favors, O best of benefactors.
Who casts at me from the untruth of speech, arrows.
ولكنّنيbut I أخْشىfear مقالَةَthe words of حاسِدٍan envier
ولكنّني أخْشى مقالَةَ حاسِدٍ
رَمانِيَshot at me منof زُورِfalsehood الكلامِspeech بأسْهُمِwith arrows
رَمانِيَ من زُورِ الكلامِ بأسْهُمِ
But I fear the words of an envier,
So I hope in your mercy upon your graced slave,
who has shot at me with arrows of false speech.
That you will restrain whoever transgresses,
فرُحْماكَso, your mercy! فيtoward ممْلوكِthe bondservant of نعْمتِكَyour favor التيwhich
فرُحْماكَ في ممْلوكِ نعْمتِكَ التي
أتىcame قاطِعاًsevering أسْبابَهاits bonds كُلّevery مُجْرِمِwrongdoer
أتى قاطِعاً أسْبابَها كُلّ مُجْرِمِ
So have mercy on the bondservant of your favor, whose
And I stretch out the palm of the hopeful complainant,
bonds every wrongdoer has come to sever.
Offering it to the best Object of request.
فهَاso here أناI أرْجوhope أنthat تكُفّyou restrain مَنِwhoever اعْتَدَىtransgressed
فهَا أنا أرْجو أن تكُفّ مَنِ اعْتَدَى
وأبْسُطand I extend كَفّthe hand of الآمِلthe hopeful one المُتظلّمِseeking redress
وأبْسُط كَفّ الآمِل المُتظلّمِ
So here I am, hoping you will restrain whoever has transgressed,
And I have plucked it from my breast’s nipple,
and I stretch out the hand of a hopeful seeker of redress.
To direct it from your abode, O best Director.
ودونَكهاand take her منfrom خِدْرِthe secluded chamber of فكْريَmy thought غادةًa maiden
ودونَكها من خِدْرِ فكْريَ غادةً
تُيمِّمُheads toward منfrom مثْواكَyour abode خيْرَthe best مُيمَّمِdestination
تُيمِّمُ من مثْواكَ خيْرَ مُيمَّمِ
And take her, a maiden from the secluded chamber of my thought,
And I presented it to you as eulogies,
heading toward your abode, the best of destinations.
Like well-arranged, threaded pearls.
وأهْديْتُهاand I offered her قِدماًformerly إليْكَto you مَدائحاًpoems of praise
وأهْديْتُها قِدماً إليْكَ مَدائحاً
كزهْرٍlike blossoms نضيرٍfresh أوor كدُرٍّlike pearls مُنظَّمِstrung together
كزهْرٍ نضيرٍ أو كدُرٍّ مُنظَّمِ
And before now I have offered her to you as poems of praise,
I have not been ignorant that you own the lands,
like fresh blossoms or pearls strung together.
For my Lord made me aware of that.
ولمْand not أكُI was ذاpossessing جَهْلٍignorance بأنof the fact that تملِكَyou rule الوَرَىmankind
ولمْ أكُ ذا جَهْلٍ بأن تملِكَ الوَرَى
فقدْfor indeed كانwas مَولاناour lord بذلِكَof that مُعْلِمِيthe one informing me
فقدْ كان مَولانا بذلِكَ مُعْلِمِي
And I was not unaware that you would rule mankind,
And you blessed me with favor, O Guide to righteousness,
for our lord had informed me of that.
You began with fine work, so perfect it.
وأوْلَيْتَنيand you bestowed on me النُّعْمىfavor فَياso, O ملِكَking of الهُدَىright guidance
وأوْلَيْتَني النُّعْمى فَيا ملِكَ الهُدَى
بَدأتَyou began بهwith it صُنْعاًa deed جميلاًbeautiful فتمّمِso complete it
بَدأتَ به صُنْعاً جميلاً فتمّمِ
And you bestowed favor upon me; so, O king of right guidance,
You let me look upon the beautiful face, and have not
you began a gracious deed with it; so complete it.
Repeated it, so who can I look to after it, or speak of it?
وأوْرَيْتَنيand you revealed to me الوجْهَthe face الجميلَbeautiful ولمْand did not تُعِدْrepeat it
وأوْرَيْتَني الوجْهَ الجميلَ ولمْ تُعِدْ
فمنso who ليfor me برُؤياwith a vision بعْدَهاafter it أوْor تكلُّمِconversation
فمن لي برُؤيا بعْدَها أوْ تكلُّمِ
And you revealed the beautiful face to me, but did not do so again;
The slave is not forbidden if prohibited from meeting,
who, then, can grant me a vision afterward, or conversation?
If he desires or imagines it.
وماand not يُمْنَعُis barred المَمْلوكُthe bondservant إنif مُنِعَis denied اللِّقاthe meeting
وما يُمْنَعُ المَمْلوكُ إن مُنِعَ اللِّقا
إذاwhen يتمنّىhe wishes أوor يَرىhe sees بالتّوهُّمِthrough imagination
إذا يتمنّى أو يَرى بالتّوهُّمِ
And the bondservant is not barred, though a meeting is denied,
when he wishes or sees through imagination.
Partial English translation: 64 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1