أماdo you not ترىsee تحيّةَthe greeting of السحابِthe clouds
أما ترى تحيّةَ السحابِ
أحياrevived نداهاits dew هامدَthe lifeless part of الترابِthe soil
أحيا نداها هامدَ الترابِ
Do you not see the clouds' greeting?
Do you not see the greeting of the clouds
Its dew revived the lifeless soil.
Reviving the dormant soil with its call
فنفحتْand so wafted منfrom الترابِthe soil ريّاa fragrance
فنفحتْ من الترابِ ريّا
أفعلmore potent فيin النفسِthe soul منthan الحميّاstrong wine
أفعل في النفسِ من الحميّا
And from the soil a fragrance wafted,
So it exhaled a gentle breeze
More potent in the soul than strong wine,
That did more to my soul than heat
أذكىmore fragrant منthan العبيرِblended perfume والمَلابِand saffron perfume
أذكى من العبيرِ والمَلابِ
كأنهاas though it were رَوائِحُthe scents of الأحبابِloved ones
كأنها رَوائِحُ الأحبابِ
More fragrant than blended perfume and saffron,
It awoke more than perfumes and rains
As though it were the scents of loved ones.
As if it were the scents of loved ones
ليI have نَفَسٌa breath ماwhenever سفتهاI smelled it عميقُdeep
لي نَفَسٌ ما سفتها عميقُ
كأنهas though it were لطولهbecause of its length شهيقُa gasping inhalation
كأنه لطوله شهيقُ
Whenever I smell it, my breath is deep,
I have a soul that has not plunged deeply
So long, it seems a drawn-out gasp.
As if its length were but an intake of breath
ياoh عجباًwhat wonder لطيبat the sweetness of ريحِthe scent of التربِthe soil
يا عجباً لطيب ريحِ التربِ
إذاwhen تَنَدّىis moistened بدموعِwith the tears of السُحْبِthe clouds
إذا تَنَدّى بدموعِ السُحْبِ
How wondrous the sweet scent of earth,
How wonderful the sweet smell of dust
When moistened by the clouds' tears!
When the tears of rain moisten it
أكانَwas it منfrom تحيّةِthe greeting of الغمامِthe clouds
أكانَ من تحيّةِ الغمامِ
طيَّبةsweet إلىto الترابِthe soil الظاميthirsty
طيَّبة إلى الترابِ الظامي
Was it from the clouds' greeting,
Was it from the greeting of the clouds
A sweet greeting to the thirsty soil?
Made fragrant to the dark earth?
أَمْor تلكthose أنفاسُthe breaths of الثرىthe earth ذكيهfragrant
أَمْ تلك أنفاسُ الثرى ذكيه
تشكرُgive thanks لمّاwhen رَدَّتِreturned التحيّهthe greeting
تشكرُ لمّا رَدَّتِ التحيّه
Or are those the earth's fragrant breaths,
Or was it the scented breaths of the soil
Giving thanks as they return the greeting?
Gratefully returning the greeting?
أَمor كانwas منfrom صنيعthe work of كلٍeach منهماof the two
أَم كان من صنيع كلٍ منهما
حُرُّnoble الثرىthe earth أثْنىgave praise وَجادَand gave generously ابنُthe son of السماheaven
حُرُّ الثرى أثْنى وَجادَ ابنُ السما
Or was it the work of both—
Or was it the work of both together
The noble earth gave praise, and heaven's son gave freely?
The free soil gave thanks and the son of the sky gave freely
وَنفحةٍand a waft of fragrance فيin (دُمّرٍDummar) وand (الربوهal-Rabwah)
وَنفحةٍ في (دُمّرٍ) و (الربوه)
فوّاحةٍrichly fragrant لهاit has دبيبُthe gentle stirring of النشوهrapture
فوّاحةٍ لها دبيبُ النشوه
And a waft of fragrance in Dummar and al-Rabwah,
A breeze in Damascus and the meadows
Richly fragrant, with the gentle stir of rapture,
An aroma that has the murmur of joy
دقَّتْwas too subtle عنfor الأوصافِdescriptions والأسماءand names
دقَّتْ عن الأوصافِ والأسماء
لكنّهاbut it is رائحةُthe scent of (الفيحاءِal-Fayha')
لكنّها رائحةُ (الفيحاءِ)
Was too subtle for descriptions and names,
It transcended descriptions and names
Yet it is the scent of al-Fayha'.
Yet it was the scent of paradise
روحٌsolace لمنfor whoever يشمُّهاsmells it وَريحانْand sweet basil
روحٌ لمن يشمُّها وَريحانْ
خصّتْwas singled out بهاwith it دمشقُDamascus دونto the exclusion of البلدانْthe other lands
خصّتْ بها دمشقُ دون البلدانْ
Solace and sweet basil for whoever inhales it,
A spirit for whoever smells it, and a sweet basil
Damascus alone was favored with it among all lands.
Damascus was distinguished with it above all other cities
تضوّعتْwafted fragrantly حيثُwhere المياهthe waters الواكفهtrickling
تضوّعتْ حيثُ المياه الواكفه
بينamid الظلالِthe shade الضافياتample الوارفهluxuriantly spreading
بين الظلالِ الضافيات الوارفه
Its scent spread where the waters trickled,
It perfumed where still waters lingered
Amid the ample, luxuriantly spreading shade.
Among shades, abundant and overflowing
طابgrew sweet بهاwith it الترابُthe soil والهواءُand the air
طاب بها الترابُ والهواءُ
وَعبقتْand became fragrant بطيبهاwith its fragrance الأَرجاءُthe surroundings
وَعبقتْ بطيبها الأَرجاءُ
Earth and air grew sweet with it,
The soil and air were scented with it
And all around was steeped in its fragrance.
And its sweetness filled the atmosphere
Sol 6.1