أَطَيفٌ سَرى وَهناً مُتَيّما
أَمِ الرَوض بَكّاهُ الحيا فَتَبَسّما
A gentle breeze blew by languidly,
Did it make the garden weep, and the serpent smile?
أَنَفحَةُ وادي السِحر وافَت بِها الصَبا
سُحَيراً أَمِ المِسكُ الذَكيُّ تَنَسّما
The magical valley exhaled its scent,
Bewitching, was it musk so pure it breathed?
أَوردٌ جَنيٌّ أَم رِياضٌ أَريضَةٌ
كَسَتها يَدُ الأَنواءِ وَشياً مُنَمنَما
A blossoming meadow, or gardens so fecund,
Their robe woven by the winds, patterned and ornate.
أَزهرُ سَماءٍ أَم أَزاهِرُ رَوضَةٍ
سَقَتها غَوادي المُزنِ سَجلاً عَلى الظَما
Flowers of the sky, or blossoms of a meadow,
Watered by vales of bliss, flowing on thirsty sands.
فَأَغصانُها اللدنُ الرِشاقُ تَراقَصَت
لِطَيرٍ عَلى هاماتِها قَد تَرَنَّما
Her pliant branches swayed gracefully,
As birds perched on her crest trilled a melody.
أَمِ الشَمسُ في أَوجِ الكَمالِ مُنيرَةٌ
أَمِ البَدرُ في أُفق السِيادَةِ قَد سَما
Was it the sun at its peak shining bright,
Or the moon rising to reign in its might?
أَبُشرى عَلى يَأسٍ أَوَعدٌ عَلى رَجا
فَلّلهِ ما أَحلى وَأَجلى وَأَكرَما
Good tidings after despair, a promise after longing,
So beautiful, so majestic, so generous!
فَيا راكِباً إِمّا عرضت فَعُج إِلى
رُبا جِلَّقٍ لُقِّيتَ رُشداً مُيَمّما
Oh wayfarer, if you stray, hurry
To blessed waters, where you’ll find guidance.
وَعَرِّج بِواديها المُقَدَّسِ مُنشِداً
فَيا حَبَّذا الوادي وَيا حَبَّذا الحِمى
And wander her sacred valley chanting psalms,
Blessed is the valley, blessed is its sanctuary!
لَقَد حَلَّ قُطر الشام نورُ هِدايَةٍ
يَفوقُ سَنا لألائِهِ البَدرَ في السَما
The light of guidance from Damascus has shone,
Outshining with its symbols the moon in the sky.
وَأَصبَحَتِ الأَرجاءُ تُزهى مُنيرَةً
وَغُصنُ الأَماني بِالمَسَرَّةِ قَد نَما
The horizons now glow luminous,
As the boughs of hopes bloom and burgeon high.
أَما تَنظرُ الغَنّاءُ أَبدَت مَلابِساً
مِنَ النُورِ وَشّاها الرَبيعُ وَسَهَّما
See the songbird don its raiment anew,
Adorned by spring in its vibrant hues.
وَباكرها الوَسميُّ يَنثُر لُؤلُؤاً
مِنَ الطَلّ في سلك البَهاءِ تَنظّما
The vernal clouds scattering pearls at dawn,
Arranging strands of light, artful and wise.
وَغَنَّت بِدَوحِ النَيّرَبَينِ حَمائِمٌ
فَجاوَبَها قَمريّ مُقري مَزمزَما
The doves sang at Dhu Al-Nayrain’s abode,
Answered by a moon, pure and solemn.
لِمَوطِئِ شَيخِ العَصرِ قاضي قُضاتِها
إِمامٌ لَدى أَعتابِهِ السَعدُ خَيّما
It is the dwelling of the sage of this age, judge of its judges,
A noble Imam, before whom fortune camps.
أَريبٌ مهيبٌ لَوذَعيٌّ مُهَذَّبٌ
كَريمُ نَداه يُخجل الغَيثَ إِن هَمى
Majestic, revered, refined and virtuous,
Generous his voice, shaming the rain if it held back.
غَياثٌ لِمَلهوفٍ أَمانٌ لِخائِفٍ
مَلاذٌ لِمَحزونٍ شَكا مُتَظَلِّما
A savior for the anguished, refuge for the frightened,
Solace for the aggrieved crying injustice.
فَيا أَوحَد الدُنيا وَيا عالِماً غَدا
لَهُ الفَخرُ وَالشَيخُ الرَئيس مُسلِّما
O unmatched one in this world, O wise master of tomorrow,
Yours is the pride, as the Sheikh humbly concedes.
وَيا سَيِّداً حازَ الفَضائل كُلَّها
فَلا عالِمٌ يَلقاهُ إِلّا وَأَحجَما
O Lord who has gathered all virtues,
No scholar meets you but lowers his gaze.
وَمَن عَدلُهُ قَد شاعَ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ
فَأَنجَدَ في قُطر البِلاد وَأَتهَما
Your justice has spread through every land,
Aiding Sham and taking up the cause of the oppressed.
قَصَدتُ ذُرى عَلياكَ فَالدَهرُ قَد جَنى
عَليّ وَما لي غَير بابِكَ مُنتَمى
I came seeking your lofty threshold, as time
Had wronged me, leaving me no recourse but your door.
وَلي مُقلَةٌ قَرحى طَويلٌ سُهادُها
وَقَلبٌ بِنيرانِ القَطيعة أُضرِما
My eyes hurt, the parting too long drawn out,
My heart afire with the flames of separation.
لَعَلَّك يا مَولايَ تَرحمُ فاقَتي
وَتُنصِفُني مِن عَبدِكَ الدَهر بَعدَما
Perhaps my Master would have mercy on my plight,
And do me justice from a life that has denied me.
فَلي عالَةٌ رَبّي العَليمُ بِحالِهِم
فُؤادي لَهُم أَضحى بِجَمرٍ يضرّما
I have dependents, my Lord knows their state,
My heart is an ember burning for their sake.
وَنَفسٌ تَرى أَنّ السُؤالَ مَذَلَّةٌ
سِوى أَنَّها تَرجو نَداكَ تَكَرُّما
A soul that sees asking for aid as disgrace,
Save that it hopes for your generosity to bloom.
لِأَنَّكَ يا قسَّ الفَصاحَة حاتمٌ
وَجُودُكَ يا بَحر المَكارِم قَد طَما
For you are the seal of eloquence, the consummate end;
And your munificence, O sea of virtues, runs deep.
عَسى جُودُكَ الفيَّاضُ يَأتي بِنِعمَةٍ
تُرَوِّي بهِ وَلهانَ مِن أَلَمِ الظَما
May your abundant grace bring a bounty
To quench the thirst of the parched and famished soul.
بَقيتَ بَقاءَ النَيّرَينِ بِنِعمَةٍ
مَدى الدَهرِ ما ناحَت مُطوَّقَةٌ وما
You remain by virtue of the two Brilliances,
As long as the dove moans and the palm tree stands.
