سلامٌ يسلِّى الفؤادَ الشغيلْ

سلامٌ يسلِّى الفؤادَ الشغيلْ

ويبرىءُ داءَ المريضِ العليلْ

ويبرىءُ داءَ المريضِ العليلْ

A greeting that consoles the care-laden heart,

A greeting that comforts the restless heart

And cures the disease of the sick and ailing;

And cures the illness of the frail invalid

وأشهى من الراحِ ممزوجةً

وأشهى من الراحِ ممزوجةً

وأحلى من الشَّهد والزنجبيلْ

وأحلى من الشَّهد والزنجبيلْ

And more delectable than blended wine,

And is more delicious than blended comfort

And sweeter than honey in the comb and ginger;

And sweeter than honey and ginger

ويزرى بنشرِ رياحِ الشَّذَى

ويزرى بنشرِ رياحِ الشَّذَى

وأعذبُ طعماً من السَّلسبيلْ

وأعذبُ طعماً من السَّلسبيلْ

And puts the fragrance of scented winds to shame;

It nurtures with the scent of the meadow's breeze

And sweeter in taste than Salsabil;

And is more delicious in taste than fresh water

وينفى همومَ العميدِ الشجى

وينفى همومَ العميدِ الشجى

رواءً ويبرد حَرَّ الغليلْ

رواءً ويبرد حَرَّ الغليلْ

And banishes the cares of the sorrowful, love-stricken one,

It dispels the worries of the weary chieftain

Thirst-quenching, it also cools the burning heat of thirst;

Quenching and cooling the heat of fever

ويطْوى عن الصبِّ أحزانَه

ويطْوى عن الصبِّ أحزانَه

ويُنسى الخليلَ وصالَ الخليلْ

ويُنسى الخليلَ وصالَ الخليلْ

And folds away the ardent lover's sorrows,

And makes one forget their sorrows

And makes a lover forget union with his beloved.

And forget the beloved and the meeting of the beloved

أخصُّ به الوالي المرتضَى

أخصُّ به الوالي المرتضَى

بشيراً حليفَ العطاء الجزيلْ

بشيراً حليفَ العطاء الجزيلْ

I dedicate it to the esteemed governor,

I confer it upon the agreeable governor

Bashir, ally of abundant generosity,

A harbinger of abundant generosity

سليلَ الوفىّ الصفىّ الفتى

سليلَ الوفىّ الصفىّ الفتى

محمداً الأريحىَّ المنيلْ

محمداً الأريحىَّ المنيلْ

Scion of the faithful, pure-hearted, gallant man,

The descendant of loyalty and purity, the young man

Muhammad, the magnanimous giver.

Muhammad the fragrant, the fulfilling

كريمٌ كريمٌ ببذل اللُّهَى

كريمٌ كريمٌ ببذل اللُّهَى

ولكنه بالمعالي بَخِيلْ

ولكنه بالمعالي بَخِيلْ

Generous, generous in bestowing gifts,

Generous, so very generous in bestowing charm

But with lofty honors he is miserly.

Yet miserly in matters of glory

غياثُ اليتامى وليثُ الوغَى

غياثُ اليتامى وليثُ الوغَى

حميدُ المساعى وغَوْث النزِيلْ

حميدُ المساعى وغَوْث النزِيلْ

Succor for orphans and a lion of battle,

The rescuer of orphans and lion of valor

Praiseworthy in his endeavors, and the guest's succor.

Praiseworthy in effort and salvation of the visitor

إذا حَلَّ ساحته سائلٌ

إذا حَلَّ ساحته سائلٌ

فما هو يرضى له بالقليلْ

فما هو يرضى له بالقليلْ

When a petitioner comes to his courtyard,

If a questioner comes into his presence

Then he is not content to give him little.

He is not pleased to give but plenty

وإن كنتَ تبغى موالاته

وإن كنتَ تبغى موالاته

فنعم النصير ونعم الكفيلْ

فنعم النصير ونعم الكفيلْ

And if you seek his alliance,

And if you seek his patronage

Then what a fine supporter and a fine guarantor he is!

What an excellent supporter and guarantor

هو العدلُ في كلِّ أمرٍ يرى

هو العدلُ في كلِّ أمرٍ يرى

وليسَ له في البرايا عَدِيلْ

وليسَ له في البرايا عَدِيلْ

He is justice itself in every matter he considers,

He is justice in all affairs he sees

And among created beings he has no equal.

And has no equal in honesty among men

ولو نَسى الناسُ إحسانَه

ولو نَسى الناسُ إحسانَه

فما أنا منه بناسِي الجميلْ

فما أنا منه بناسِي الجميلْ

And even if people forget his kindness,

And if people forget his kindness

Then I will not forget the kindness that came from him.

I will not forget what good he has done

وإني على عهده ثابتٌ

وإني على عهده ثابتٌ

مقيمٌ ولو عشت عمراً طويلْ

مقيمٌ ولو عشت عمراً طويلْ

And I remain steadfast in my covenant with him,

And I remain forever faithful to our pact

Abiding by it, even should I live a long life.

Settled, even if I live a very long life

وإنْ مِلْت عن كل شىء يرى

وإنْ مِلْت عن كل شىء يرى

فقلبي عن ودّه لا يَميلْ

فقلبي عن ودّه لا يَميلْ

And if I turn away from all that can be seen,

And if I am tired of all that I see

Yet my heart will not turn away from love for him.

My heart does not stray from loving him

فيا ابنَ العلَى والمعالي ومَنْ

فيا ابنَ العلَى والمعالي ومَنْ

بإحسانه الفقرُ أضْحَى قتيلْ

بإحسانه الفقرُ أضْحَى قتيلْ

O son of eminence and lofty honors, and you by whose

O son of the lofty and glorious—one who

Kindness poverty lies slain!

Through his benevolence, want becomes bereft

ودادِي لكمْ كامنٌ في الحشا

ودادِي لكمْ كامنٌ في الحشا

ومالي إلى وصلكم من سبيلْ

ومالي إلى وصلكم من سبيلْ

My affection for you lies hidden in my breast,

My affection for you is hidden in my innermost places

And I have no path to reunion with you.

And I have no way to attain your company

غريبٌ أنا مُنذ فارقتكم

غريبٌ أنا مُنذ فارقتكم

وكلُّ غريبٍ وحيدٌ ذليلْ

وكلُّ غريبٍ وحيدٌ ذليلْ

A stranger am I since I parted from you,

I am a stranger since I left your side

And every stranger is lonely and abased.

And every stranger remains lowly and lonely

فما هاج قلبي حبيبٌ مَضَى

فما هاج قلبي حبيبٌ مَضَى

ولا شاقني بعدُ ريعٌ مُحيلْ

ولا شاقني بعدُ ريعٌ مُحيلْ

For no departed beloved has stirred my heart,

No past beloved has stirred my heart

Nor, since then, has a desolate hill stirred my longing.

Nor captivated me with transient beauty

ولكنني هِمْتُ من شوقكم

ولكنني هِمْتُ من شوقكم

فقلبي مَعِي وجسمي نحيلْ

فقلبي مَعِي وجسمي نحيلْ

But I am distraught with longing for you,

Rather I have yearned for you

So my heart is with me, and my body is gaunt.

My heart is with me but my body is frail

فغادرْتُموني حليفَ الأسى

فغادرْتُموني حليفَ الأسى

وَدَمْعي عَلَى صَحْن خدي يَسِيلْ

وَدَمْعي عَلَى صَحْن خدي يَسِيلْ

So you have left me sorrow's companion,

You left me companion to sorrow

And my tears flow over the expanse of my cheek.

My tears flow down my cheeks