شجاني مِن رُبا الفيحاءِ بَرْقُ

وهَيَّجَني غَرامُكِ يا دِمَشْقُ

The lightning from al-Fayha' moistened me,

And your love has roused me, Oh Damascus!

تَهَيَّبْتُ الوِصالَ وإنْ تَمادَى

وأشْعَلَ مُهْجَتي وَلَهٌ وعِشْقُ

I longed for union though it was delayed,

And it set my passion aflame, ardently in love.

أحقًّا غُوطةُ الفِرْدَوْسِ دُوني

ودوني مِن جِنانِ الخُلْدِ شِقُّ؟

Is Ghutah truly a paradise for me

And a part of the eternal gardens for me?

وهل أنا في ديارِ الشَّامِ أَمشي

وأجنحتي لها في الجَوِّ خَفْقُ؟

When I walk in the lands of ash-Shaam,

Do my wings flutter for it in the air?

سلامٌ يا دِمَشْقُ عليكِ حتَّى

يَلُوحَ على سَمائِكِ مِنْهُ بَرْقُ

Peace upon you, Oh Damascus, until

Lightning flashes through your sky because of it.

ألا يا دارَ كلِّ فتًى جميلٍ

له في صَفْحَةِ العُظَماءِ سَبْقُ

Oh home of every handsome youth

Who has precedence on the page of great men.

ومَهْدَ الفاتناتِ لِكُلِّ قَلبٍ

فحَقُّكِ لا يُضامُ، ولا يُعَقُّ

And cradle of beauties for every heart

Whose right cannot be denied or broken.

رَضِيتُ هَواكِ يَأسِرُني رقيقًا

ولا يأتي لهذا الرِّقِّ عِتْقُ

I was pleased that love has gently captured me,

And that this gentleness has no freedom.

أنا (وَضَّاحُ) جِئتُ على غَرامي

وخلفي مِن ديارِ العُرْبِ شَرْقُ

I am Waddah and I came with my passion

And the East is behind me from the lands of Arabs.

فصنعاءُ الَّتي صَقَلَتْ سُيوفي

لها في وَجْنَةِ القَمَرَيْنِ شَقُّ

Sanaa which polished my swords

Has a place in the cheek of the two moons.

تُحَمِّلُني النَّسائمُ مِن صَباها

صَباباتٍ لها في القَلبِ عُمْقُ

The breezes carry to me from its morning

Morning dew that has depth in the heart.

ففي الصُّندوقِ أسرارٌ وشِعرٌ

وفي الصُّندوقِ عاطفةٌ ورِفْقُ

So in the box are secrets and poetry

And in the box are emotions and gentleness.

وكم أُمِّ البَنين أرى ولكنْ

«قلوبًا كالحِجارةِ لا تَرِقُّ»

How many mothers of sons I see but

“Hearts are like rocks, they do not soften.”