عيدٌ بِهِ زَهرَةُ الآدابِ قَد نَفَحَتْ

عيدٌ بِهِ زَهرَةُ الآدابِ قَد نَفَحَتْ

في شَهر نيسانَ تَهدي الزَّهرَ أَعطارا

في شَهر نيسانَ تَهدي الزَّهرَ أَعطارا

A festival in which the Flower of Letters has breathed fragrance,

A celebration wherein the flowers of literature have blossomed

in the month of Nisan, offering perfumes to the blossoms.

In the month of April, it offers fragrant flowers

في لَيلةٍ أَبرَزَتْ كَأسَ المُدامِ بِها

في لَيلةٍ أَبرَزَتْ كَأسَ المُدامِ بِها

وَأَوجهَ الشُّربِ نيراناً وَأَنوارا

وَأَوجهَ الشُّربِ نيراناً وَأَنوارا

On a night when it displayed the cup of wine

On a night that brought forth the cup of wine

and the drinkers’ faces as fires and lights.

And ignited the faces with fires and lights

وَفي الأُسِرَّةِ مِن ذاتِ الأُسرَّةِ ما

وَفي الأُسِرَّةِ مِن ذاتِ الأُسرَّةِ ما

أَبدى مِن اللُّطفِ وَالإِخلاصِ أَسرارا

أَبدى مِن اللُّطفِ وَالإِخلاصِ أَسرارا

And in the countenances was something from the mistress of thrones

And in the family, from its own kin

that revealed secrets of kindness and sincerity.

Revealed the subtleties of affection and sincerity

أَغارَتِ البَدرَ في قَلبِ الظَلامِ وَقَد

أَغارَتِ البَدرَ في قَلبِ الظَلامِ وَقَد

أَعارَتِ الأُفْقَ في الظَّلماءِ أَقمارا

أَعارَتِ الأُفْقَ في الظَّلماءِ أَقمارا

It made the full moon jealous in the heart of darkness, and indeed

The full moon was envious in the heart of darkness

lent the horizon moons amid the gloom.

And lent the horizons its moons in the gloom

لَقَد تَلاقَت بِها الأَنفاسُ ناسِجَةً

لَقَد تَلاقَت بِها الأَنفاسُ ناسِجَةً

وَشياً يُجدِّدُ لِلعرفانِ آثارا

وَشياً يُجدِّدُ لِلعرفانِ آثارا

Indeed, breaths met there, weaving

Verily the breaths have converged in it, weaving

a brocade that renews the monuments of learning,

A bond that renews the traces of gratitude

مِن كُلِّ نَدبٍ لَهُ في الفَضلِ عارِضةٌ

مِن كُلِّ نَدبٍ لَهُ في الفَضلِ عارِضةٌ

تُجري مِنَ السِّحرِ في الأَلباب إِسكارا

تُجري مِنَ السِّحرِ في الأَلباب إِسكارا

from every noble man with a gift for excellence,

For every talent it has rivals in virtue

which sends magic’s intoxication coursing through minds.

Casting a spell of enchantment in minds

لَلّهِ يا زَهرَةً رَوَّى مَنابِتُها

لَلّهِ يا زَهرَةً رَوَّى مَنابِتُها

غَيثٌ مِنَ الأَدبِ المنهلِّ مِدرارا

غَيثٌ مِنَ الأَدبِ المنهلِّ مِدرارا

By God, O flower whose beds were watered

By Allah, O flower, its roots were watered

by an abundant rain of literature pouring down!

With rains of literature, ever-flowing

قَد تَمَّ أَوَّلُ عِقدٍ مِن سِنيكِ فَلا

قَد تَمَّ أَوَّلُ عِقدٍ مِن سِنيكِ فَلا

بَرِحْتَ مِن مثلهِ تَطوينَ أَدهارا

بَرِحْتَ مِن مثلهِ تَطوينَ أَدهارا

The first decade of your years is complete; so may you never

The first knot of your years has been completed

cease to fold away ages made of decades like it.

You shall never cease accumulating epochs

أَجَلْ وَاِنَّكِ في قَومٍ نُفوسهُم

أَجَلْ وَاِنَّكِ في قَومٍ نُفوسهُم

لا تَبتَغي بِسِوى الهمَّاتِ أَوطارا

لا تَبتَغي بِسِوى الهمَّاتِ أَوطارا

Yes, and you are among a people whose souls

Indeed, you are among a people whose souls

seek their aims through nothing but lofty resolve.

Seek nothing but the highest aspirations

وقيل هَل أَثمَرَت أَرِّخْ بِفاكهةٍ

وقيل هَل أَثمَرَت أَرِّخْ بِفاكهةٍ

قُلنا كَفى بِحُصولِ العَقد إِثمارا

قُلنا كَفى بِحُصولِ العَقد إِثمارا

And it was said: “Has it borne fruit? Record the date with a fruit.”

And it was said, has it borne fruit? We answered

We said: “The decade’s completion is fruit enough.”

The forming of the knot suffices as fruiting