قَدْ شَمِمْنَا نَفَائِسَ الأَنْفَاسِ

إِذَا قَرُبْنَا مِنَ الْبَهِيَّةِ فَاسِ

We have inhaled the most exquisite of fragrances,

as we drew near to the radiant city of Fez,

وَقَفَلْنَا مِنَ الزِّيَارَةِ نَرْجُو

نَفْعَهَا وَاجْتِبَاءَ رَبِّ النَّاسِ

and returned from the visitation, hoping

for its blessing and the chosen grace of the Lord of mankind.

فَانْتَشَتْ أَنْفُسٌ لَنَا بِشَذَاهَا

وَطَرِبْنَا لِعَرْفِهَا بَعْدَ يَاسِ

So our souls became intoxicated by its sweet scent,

and we rejoiced at its perfume after despair.

وَسَقَانَا السُّرُورُ مِمَّا صَبَتْ أَرْ

وَاحُنَا لِلتَّسْلِيمِ أَلْطَفَ كَاسِ

And joy gave us to drink, from the yearning of

our souls to offer peace, the gentlest cup.

وَصَبَوْنَا إِلَى لِقَاءِ سَرَاةٍ

طَيِّبِي النَّفْسِ عَاطِرِي الأَنْفَاسِ

And we longed to meet the noble leaders,

pure of spirit and fragrant of breath.

وَتَضَاعَفَ الشَّوْقُ مِنَّا لِأَفْرَا

خٍٍ حِسَانٍٍ كَأَنْجُمِ الأَغْلاَسِ

And our yearning multiplied for the tender

youths, beautiful as stars in the pre-dawn dark.

فَاسْتَرَاحَتْ أَجْسَامُنَا مِنْ عَنَاءِ السَّيْ

رِ وَأَفْكَارُنَا مِنَ الْوَسْوَاسِ

Thus our bodies rested from the weariness of

the journey, and our minds from anxious thoughts.

وَاسْتَفَدْنَا قَرَائِحاً تَنْظِمُ الشِّعْ

رَ الْبَدِيعَ الْحُلَى الأَنِيقَ الْجِنَاسِ

And we gained clear minds to compose

poetry of wondrous adornment and elegant wordplay.

بَلَّغّ اللهُ مَا قَصَدْنَا وَوَقَا

نَا وَأَصْحَابَنَا ضُرُوبَ الْبَاسِ

May Allah fulfill what we intended, and protect

us and our companions from every kind of harm.

وَأَدَامَ أَزْكَى الصَّلاَةِ عَلَى الْمُخْ

تَارِ طَهَ تَفُوقُ نَشْرَ الآسِ

And may He perpetuate the purest blessings upon the

Chosen One, Taha, sweeter than the fragrance of myrtle,

وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَال

تَّابِعِينَ الْمُرْدِينَ لِلْأَرْجَاسِ

and upon his family, his companions, and the

followers who cast away all impurities,

مَا صَبَا نَازِحٌ إِلَى أَرْضِ فَاسِ

وَأَغَذَّ الْيَرَاعُ فِي الْقِرْطَاسِ

as long as a wanderer yearns for the land of Fez,

and as long as the reed pen glides swiftly upon the parchment.