الحب والحسن والأمان

أعز ما يمنح الزمان

Love, beauty, and safety

Are the most precious gifts of time

أحظيَ اليوم أن أراها

تعود أم فاتها الأوان

Today I was fortunate to see her

Did she return or has her time passed?

مشاهد قد خلبن لبّي

كأنما بينها رهان

Scenes that captured my heart

As if there was a wager between them

قد أبدعتها بلا شبيه

العبقريات لا المران

She was uniquely created, not by practice

But by genius, not by training

فكل شيء بها طريف

وبعض آياتها الجنان

Everything about her is delightful

Some of her signs are heavens

والناس آدابهم تسامت

بها فزينوا بها وزانوا

People's manners were refined

By her, so they adorned themselves and leaned towards her

وساد أصفى الهدوء حتى

كأنما عندها يصان

The purest tranquility prevailed so much

It was as if it was protected by her

أتيتها خائفا حزينا

فهشّ لي الحب والأمان

I came to her, afraid and sad

But love and safety smiled at me

وسقسقت لي الغصون شعرا

كأنما الدوح مهرجان

The branches rustled poetry to me

As if the orchards were celebrating

والجو في دفئه عطوف

كأهلها دفؤه حنان

The air was gently warm

Like her people, its warmth was affectionate

يطل من نصبها جلال

وذكريات لها بيان

From her monuments emanates glory

And memories that are eloquent

وكم بها متحف أثير

يفوح من مجده الدهان

And how many precious museums in her

Exude the scent of glory

وكم بها نعمة ولكن

هل يجذب النعمة افتتان

And how many blessings in her

But does blessing attract infatuation?

أنى تلفّت لم أجدني

إلا رؤى فاتها الحسان

When I looked around I did not find myself

Except visions that lacked beauty

وكل ما في الحياة يلهو

كأنما الكل دون جوان

And everything in life is playing around

As if everything is without essence

إن يحرق الناس نثر روض

في حين أوراقه جمان

If people burn the pages of a garden

While its leaves are beautiful

فقبله النار بددتني

وما تبقى هو الدخان

The fire then dispersed me

What remains is but smoke