فيin الشامal-Sham دارhouse الكتبthe books مجدglory لناfor us
في الشام دار الكتب مجد لنا
نودwe wish انto نجعلهاwe make it جنهa paradise
نود ان نجعلها جنه
In al-Sham, the library is a glory to us;
In Damascus, the abode of books, glory for us
we wish to make it a paradise.
We want to make it a paradise
سطاpounced عليهاupon it صبيةboys بدلواthey altered
سطا عليها صبية بدلوا
آمالناour hopes فانقلبتso it turned into جنهmadness
آمالنا فانقلبت جنه
Boys pounced upon it and altered
Youngsters poured in with buckets
our hopes, so it turned into madness.
And so our hopes turned into paradise
فهلthen will? يمنbestow favor اللهGod يوماone day بمنwith someone who
فهل يمن الله يوما بمن
يجعلهmakes him العلمlearning لهfor itself جنهa shield
يجعله العلم له جنه
Will God, then, one day bless us with someone
Will God ever grant someone
whom learning makes a shield for itself,
Who makes knowledge his paradise?
فيكشفso he dispels الخطبthe calamity ويغدوand he becomes لناfor us
فيكشف الخطب ويغدو لنا
منagainst كلevery عادaggressor جاهلignorant جنهa shield
من كل عاد جاهل جنه
who then dispels the calamity and becomes for us
To remove misfortunes and become for us
a shield against every ignorant aggressor?
A paradise from every ignorant custom
Sol 6.1