رَعى اللَهُ قَوماً في دِمَشقَ أَعزَّةً

عَلَيَّ وَإِن لَم يَحفَظوا عَهدَ مَن ظَعَن

May God protect a people in Damascus, honorable to me

Even if they haven't kept the covenant of one who has been wronged

أَحِبَّةَ قَلبي في الدُنُوِّ وَفي النَوي

وَأَقصى أَماني النَفسِ في السِرِّ وَالعَلَن

The darlings of my heart in good times and in adversity

And the utmost desires of my soul in secret and openly

أُناساً أَعدُ الغَدرَ مِنهُم بِذِمَّتي

وَفاءً وَأَلقى كُلَّ ما ساءَني حَسَن

People whom I expect treachery from at my own peril

Yet meet it with loyalty and turn all their evil toward good

وَكَم فَوَّقوا نَحوي سِهاماً عَلى النَوى

فَأَصمت فُؤادي وَاِعتَدَدتُ بِها مِنَن

How many arrows have they let fly at me with intent

Yet my heart was silent and I count it as a favor from them

وَقَد وَعَدتني النَفسُ عَنهُم بِسَلوَةٍ

وَلَكِن إِذا ما قُمتُ في الحَشرِ بِالكَفَن

My soul had promised me relief from them

But when I rise on Judgment Day in a shroud

يُذَكِّرُني البَرقُ الشَآمِيُّ إِن خَفا

زَماني بِكُم يا حَبَّذا ذَلِكَ الزَمَن

The Levantine lightning reminds me if it glimmers

My time with you, O how blessed was that time

وَيا حَبَّذا الهضبُ الَّذي دونَ عزَّتا

إِذا ما بَدا وَالثَلجُ قَد عَمَّمَ القُنَن

O how blessed were the highlands below your honored land

When it appears and the snow has blanketed the meadows

أَأَحبابَنا لا أَسأَلُ الطَيفَ زَورَةً

وَهَيهاتَ أَينَ الديلَمياتُ مِن عَدَن

My loved ones, I ask no specter for a visit in vain

Alas, where are the tents of Deylam from Aden

وَهَبكُم سَمحتُم وَالظُنونُ كَواذِبٌ

بِطَيفِكُمُ أَينَ الجُفونُ مِن الوَسَن

I forgave you though suspicions are liars

With your specter, where are the eyelids from sleeplessness

وَكَم قيلَ لي في ساحَةِ الأَرضِ مَذهَبٌ

وَعَن وَطَنٍ لِلنَفسِ مَيلٌ إِلى وَطَن

And how often was I told in the field of the earth, it has perished

And for a homeland for the soul, a leaning toward a homeland

وَهَل نافِعي أَنَّ البِلادَ كَثيرَةٌ

أَطوفُ بِها وَالقَلبُ بِالشامِ مُرتَهَن

And does it benefit me that many lands

I roam through while my heart is pledged to Syria

وَما كُنتُ بِالراضي بِصَنعاءَ مَنزِلاً

وَلَو نلتُ مِن غُمدانَ ملكَ ابنِ ذي يَزَن

I wouldn't be content with Sanaa as a home

Even if I attained from Ghumedan the kingdom of the son of Dhi Yazan

عَسى عطفَةٌ بَدرِيَّةٌ تَعكِسُ النَوى

فَأَلفى قَريرَ العَينِ بِالأَهلِ وَالوَطَن

Perhaps a friendly glance will turn intention

And I will find the delight of eyes with family and homeland.