هَذا هُوَ الزَمَنُ البَديعُ المونِقُ

هَذا هُوَ الزَمَنُ البَديعُ المونِقُ

وَالعَيشَةُ الرَغدُ الَّتي هِيَ تُعشَقُ

وَالعَيشَةُ الرَغدُ الَّتي هِيَ تُعشَقُ

This is the wondrous, delightful season,

This is the wondrous time, so utterly sublime,

And the life of plenty that is beloved.

And blessed life, that one does crave and pine,

فَعَلامَ تَصحو وَالحَمامُ كَأَنَّها

فَعَلامَ تَصحو وَالحَمامُ كَأَنَّها

سَكرى تُغَنّي تارَةً وَتُصَفِّقُ

سَكرى تُغَنّي تارَةً وَتُصَفِّقُ

So why be sober, when the doves seem

Why then, awake, when doves as drunkards seem,

Drunk, singing at times and clapping their wings?

Singing or clapping in their dizzy dream?

وَتَلومُ في حُبِّ الدِيارِ جَهالَةً

وَتَلومُ في حُبِّ الدِيارِ جَهالَةً

هَيهاتَ يَسلوها فُؤادٌ شَيِّقُ

هَيهاتَ يَسلوها فُؤادٌ شَيِّقُ

And you ignorantly find fault with loving these lands;

And blame, in loving homes, the ignorant heart -

Never could a yearning heart forget them.

Never, I say, can one this love impart,

وَالشامُ شامَةُ وَجنَةِ الدُنيا كَما

وَالشامُ شامَةُ وَجنَةِ الدُنيا كَما

إِنسانُ مُقلَتِها الغَضيضَةِ جِلَّقُ

إِنسانُ مُقلَتِها الغَضيضَةِ جِلَّقُ

And al-Sham is the beauty mark on the world's cheek, just as

Damascus, beauty's gem, the garden of the world,

Jilliq is the pupil of its downcast eye.

As if its softly glancing eyes were pearls,

مِن آسِها لَكَ جَنَّةٌ لا تَنقَضي

مِن آسِها لَكَ جَنَّةٌ لا تَنقَضي

وَمِنَ الشَقيقِ جَهَنَّمُ لا تَحرِقُ

وَمِنَ الشَقيقِ جَهَنَّمُ لا تَحرِقُ

From its myrtle comes a paradise for you that never ends,

In good and evil, endless joys it gives,

And from the anemones, a hell that does not burn.

Hell burns not there, nor Paradise e'er leaves,

سِيَما وَقَد رَقِمَ الرَبيعُ رُبوعَها

سِيَما وَقَد رَقِمَ الرَبيعُ رُبوعَها

وَشياً بِهِ حَدَقُ البَرايا تَحدِقُ

وَشياً بِهِ حَدَقُ البَرايا تَحدِقُ

Especially now that spring has embroidered its lands

Now that the spring has tinged its countryside,

With brocade at which the eyes of all creatures gaze.

And rain stars gaze, dotting the land with pride,

في نَيرَبٍ ضَحِكَت ثُغورُ أَقاحِهِ

في نَيرَبٍ ضَحِكَت ثُغورُ أَقاحِهِ

لَمّا بَكاهُ العارِضُ المُتَأَلِّقُ

لَمّا بَكاهُ العارِضُ المُتَأَلِّقُ

In Nayrab, the mouths of its daisies laughed

In Na'irub laughter broke from fruits that grew

When the gleaming raincloud wept over it.

When the clouds weep, as weeping beauty do.