أَسرار أَشواقي الفُؤادُ أكنّها

لِلشام وَاللاحي يَقول دَعنَّها

My heart conceals secrets of longing

For Damascus and its meadows someone says leave them

طف في البِلاد وإِن قَصَدت أَغنَّها

عرّج رِكابك عَن دِمَشق لِأَنَّها

Wander the lands though you've set out to sing their praises

Divert your mounts from Damascus for it

بَلد تَذلّ لَها الأُسود وَتَخضعُ

بَلد يَعزّ نَوال قرب بَعيدها

Is a city where lions bow down and yield

A city where kindred and stranger alike are honored

بَلد تَرى الأَحشا مَراتع غيدها

بَلد إِذا أَفلَت أَهلّة عيدها

A city where you see the nobles grazing its pastures

A city that when its loved ones are parted on feast days

ما بَين جابيها وَباب بَريدها

قمر يَغيب وألف بَدر يَطلَعُ

Between its collector of tributes and its postern gate

A moon sets and a thousand full moons rise