هَنِيئاً لَكُمْ أَنْ تَسْمَعُوا شِعْرَ حَافِظٍ

وَأَنْ تَسْمَعُوا إِنْشَادَهُ الشُّعْرَ فِي آنِ

Congratulations that you hear the poetry of Hafiz

And that you hear his recitation of poetry in one moment

هُمَا تُحْفَتَا دَهْرٍ ضَنِينٍ ظَفِرْتُمَا

بِكِلْتَيْهِمَا مِنْ مُسْعِفٍ غَيْرِ ضَنَّانِ

They are two gifts of an epoch of longing that you have attained

With both from a benefactor who is not resentful

أُحِسُّ اخْتِلاجاً لِلْمُنَى فِي صُدُورِكُمْ

وَأَلْمَحُ لِلآَمَالِ إِرْهَافَ آذَانِ

I feel a turmoil for wishes in your hearts

And I glimpse hopes with listening ears

يَثُورُ بِهَا الشَّوْقُ إِلَى شَدْوِ حَافِظٍ

فَكَيْفَ أَلَهِّيهَا بِتَرْتِيلِ مُطْرَانِ

Through it yearning for the chant of Hafiz wells up

So how can I distract it with the warbling of turtledoves?

وَهَلْ أَنَا إِلاَّ صَاحِبٌ وَمُرَافِقٌ

لِضَيْفٍ جَلِيلٍ أَيْنَ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ شَانِي

For am I not a companion and friend

To an eminent guest - how can my status equal his?

أُعَرِّفُ نَفْسِي إِذْ أُعَرِّفُكُمْ بِهِ

وَعِنْدَكمُ عِلْمٌ بِهِ فَوْقَ تِبْيَانِي

I introduce myself when I introduce you to him

While you have knowledge of him beyond my explanation

أَفَاضَ عَلَى هَذِي البِلادِ وَأَهْلِهَا

عَوَارِفَ لا تُوفَى بِشُكْرٍ وَعُرْفَانِ

He imparted to this country and its people

Graces that are not fully thanked or appreciated

وَقَلَّدَكُمْ مِنْ خَالِدَاتِ ثَنَائِهِ

قَلائِدَ مِنْ دُرٍّ فَرِيدٍ وَعِقْيَانِ

And adorned you with enduring praises

With necklaces of rare pearls and agates

وَمِنْ غَانِيَاتٍ لَسْنَ فِي كُلِّ مَوْضِعٍ

حَلَلْنَ بِهِ إِلاَّ أَزَاهِيرَ بُسْتَانِ

And songs that did not dress any place

Except with the blossoms of gardens

أَلا يَا أَعِزَّاءَ الحِمَى مِنْ كُهُولَةٍ

يَضُمُّهُمُ هَذَا المَقَامُ وَشُبَّانِ

Will not, O most valuable protected ones against decline

Whom this place unites, elderly and youth

حَمَلْنَا إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارٍ عَزِيزَةٍ

تَحِيَّاتِ إِخْوَانٍ كِرَامٍ لإِخْوَانِ

We carried to you from a precious homeland

Greetings of noble brothers to brothers

وَأُمْنِيَّةً مِنْ ذَلِكَ الوَطَنِ الَّذِي

بَرِحْنَا بِلا كَرْهٍ إِلَى الوَطَنِ الثَّانِي

And a wish from that homeland which

We left without dislike for the second homeland

بِأَنْ تَبْلُغُوا غَايَاتِ مَا تَبْتَغُونَهُ

لأُمَتِكُمْ مِنْ بَسْطِ جَاهٍ وَسُلْطَانِ

That you may attain the highest aims of what you seek

For your nation in extending glory and authority

دُعَاءٌ لَهُمْ مِنْ حَظِّهِ مِثْلُ مَا لَكُمْ

كَفَى جَامِعاً أَنَّ المُصَابِينَ سِيَّانِ

A prayer for them of a share like what is for you

It suffices as common ground that the afflicted are equal

رَعَى اللهُ يَوْماً فِي دِمَشْقَ جَلالَنَا

بَشَائِرَ فَجْرٍ مِنْ صَلاحٍ وَعُمْرَانِ

May God shepherd one day in Damascus our majesty

With tidings of a dawn of righteousness and prosperity

وَدَاراً بِهَا لِلْعِلْمِ عَاليَةَ الذُّرَى

وَطِيدَةَ آسَاسٍ مَتِينَةَ أَرْكَانِ

And a house through which science is sublime

With a firm foundation and pillars

وَنَابِتَةً تُزْهَى الشَّآمُ بِأَنَّهُمْ

بَنُوهَا إِذَا بَاهَتْ بِلادٌ بِفِتْيَانِ

And flourishing such that Syria boasts that they

Are its builders when countries shine with youth

أَلَسْتَ تَرَى المُسْتَقْبَلَ لبْحُرِّ ضَاحِكاً

بِهِمْ عَنْ وُجُوهٍ كَالمَصَابِيحِ غُرَّانِ

Do you not see the future as a laughing sea

With faces like lamps, red with joy because of them