1. ما بين هاتيك البلاقع

    بيَعٌ وأديرة موانع

    What lies amid those barren wastes—

    Churches and impregnable monasteries,

  2. ومساجدٌ ومعابدٌ

    ومناسكٌ فيها صوامع

    And mosques and temples,

    And places of worship with hermitages—

  3. فاقت على بيع البلادِ وكل

    صومعةٍ وجامع

    Surpassed the churches of all lands and every

    Hermitage and congregational mosque,

  4. حتى على رُوما التي تملا

    مدائحها المسامع

    Even Rome, whose

    Praises fill the ears,

  5. بملاحةٍ وظرافةٍ

    وبحسن وضع مع صنائع

    In beauty and elegance,

    And fine design and craftsmanship.

  6. وكذاك اهلوها سموا

    بالفضل في كل المواضع

    Likewise, their people rose high

    In virtue, in every place,

  7. بطهارةٍ وبرارةٍ

    وجليل اتقان الشرائع

    With purity and righteousness,

    And noble mastery of sacred laws.

  8. كم علَّموا كم حكَّموا

    سوء العقول مع الطبائع

    How often they taught, how often they curbed

    The evil of minds and dispositions!

  9. كم هذَّبوا كم ادَّبوا

    من كان مهذاراً منازع

    How often they refined, how often they disciplined

    Those who were garrulous and quarrelsome!

  10. كم من عذوبة وعظهم

    يرتدُّ عاصٍ وهو طائعِ

    How often, through the sweetness of their exhortation,

    A sinner turns back in willing obedience!

  11. كم خلَّصوا من بحر اثمٍ

    غارقاً فانكفَّ راجع

    How often they rescued from a sea of sin

    A drowning man, who then drew back and returned!

  12. لله درُّ مشايخ

    فيهم وكهلٍ ثم يافع

    God bless the elders

    Among them, the middle-aged, and then the young!

  13. ما فيهم الاَّ تقيُّ

    القلب للشهوات قاطع

    None among them but is devout

    At heart, renouncing lusts.

  14. ما فيهم الاَّ وضيع

    الروح للرحمان خاضع

    None among them but is humble

    In spirit, submissive to the All-Merciful.

  15. فهمُ هُم أهل الكمال

    وفضلهم في الكون شايع

    For they themselves are the people of perfection,

    And their virtue is widespread throughout the world.

  16. وهم القطوب بلا عيوب

    او مصابيح لوامع

    And they are the spiritual poles, without flaws,

    Or brightly shining lamps.

  17. وهم الكواكب والشموس

    ونورهم في الكون ساطع

    And they are the stars and suns,

    And their light shines throughout the world.