أقبلتarrived درّةpearl الودادaffection الثمينهْprecious
أقبلت درّة الوداد الثمينهْ
وهيand it is فيin بحرsea حسنهاits beauty كالسفينهْlike a ship
وهي في بحر حسنها كالسفينهْ
The precious pearl of affection has arrived,
The precious pearl of affection has arrived,
and in the sea of its beauty it is like a ship.
Sailing on the sea of her beauty like a ship,
ياoh لهاfor it منof رسالةٍa letter هيit is آياsigns (beginning of آيات)
يا لها من رسالةٍ هي آيا
تcompletion of آيات ('signs') كرامٍnoble منof الوفاءfaithfulness مبينهْclear
ت كرامٍ من الوفاء مبينهْ
What a letter it is—signs
Bearing tidings that are verses of generosity,
of faithfulness, noble and clear!
Clear signs of sincere loyalty.
بمعانٍwith meanings كالبدرlike the full moon فيin ليلnight سطرٍa written line
بمعانٍ كالبدر في ليل سطرٍ
منof حروفletters الأسرارthe secrets وهيand it is أمينهْtrustworthy
من حروف الأسرار وهي أمينهْ
With meanings like the full moon in the night of a line
With meanings that shine like the full moon in a night
of letters of secrets—and it is trustworthy.
Of mysterious letters, so faithful and true.
أذكرتنيit reminded me تلكthose العهودthe past days وماand not زاdeparted (beginning of زالت)
أذكرتني تلك العهود وما زا
لتcompletion of زالت ('departed') منfrom القلبthe heart فيin الحصونthe strongholds الحصينهimpregnable
لت من القلب في الحصون الحصينه
It reminded me of those days, which have never
Reminding me of days gone by, which still
left the heart, lodged in its impregnable strongholds.
Dwell in my heart, in its impenetrable fortress.
عهدtime بيروتBeirut وهوand it is تابوتan ark قلبٍa heart
عهد بيروت وهو تابوت قلبٍ
قدindeed أتىcame بالصفاwith purity وفيهand in it السكينهtranquility
قد أتى بالصفا وفيه السكينه
The time in Beirut, a heart's ark,
Beirut, a coffin for my heart,
has brought purity, and within it lies tranquility.
Brought me serenity and peace within.
ياoh رعىmay preserve اللهGod ذلكthat العهدthe time إذwhen كاwere (beginning of كانت)
يا رعى الله ذلك العهد إذ كا
نتcompletion of كانت ('were') لياليهits nights خيرthe finest عيدٍa festival وزينهand adornment
نت لياليه خير عيدٍ وزينه
Oh, may God preserve that time, when
May God protect that time, when
its nights were the finest festival and adornment.
Its nights were the best celebrations for me.
طالماhow often قدindeed جنيتI gathered أثمارfruits أنسٍcompanionship
طالما قد جنيت أثمار أنسٍ
منfrom رياضgardens المنىhopes بتلكin that المدينهthe city
من رياض المنى بتلك المدينه
How often I have gathered fruits of companionship
I reaped fruits of companionship
from the gardens of hope in that city.
In the gardens of wishes in that city.
Sol 6.1