لَهفي عَلى الشام وَسُكّانها

لَهفي عَلى الشام وَسُكّانها

لَهفَةَ ظامي الروح حرّانها

لَهفَةَ ظامي الروح حرّانها

My anguish for al-Sham and its people—

My longing for Damascus and its people

The anguish of one whose soul is thirsty and parched.

Is a burning desire of my troubled soul

ما أَحرَقتها النار لكنما

ما أَحرَقتها النار لكنما

ضُلوع مَفتون بِغُزلانها

ضُلوع مَفتون بِغُزلانها

It was not fire that burned it, but rather

The fire has not consumed me, but rather

The ribs of one bewitched by its gazelles.

My ribs enamored with its gazelles

وَالحُبّ إِما أَضرمت ناره

وَالحُبّ إِما أَضرمت ناره

تَسمعه الدُنيا بِآذانها

تَسمعه الدُنيا بِآذانها

And love, if its fire is kindled,

And love has kindled its flames

The world hears it with its ears.

The world hears it with its ears

نَديم أَخبرني فَقَد راعني

نَديم أَخبرني فَقَد راعني

تَشبثُ النار بغيطانها

تَشبثُ النار بغيطانها

Nadim, tell me, for I have been alarmed by

My friend, tell me, for it concerns me

The fire's clinging to its fields.

The fire seizing its thickets

هَل سرتِ النار إِلى تينها

هَل سرتِ النار إِلى تينها

وَتُوتِها الغضّ وَرُمانها

وَتُوتِها الغضّ وَرُمانها

Has the fire spread to its figs

Has the fire spread to its figs

And its tender mulberries and pomegranates?

And its tender mulberries and pomegranates