مُرَّاكشٌ مُتفَاخِرٌ مُتَبَاهِ

مُرَّاكشٌ مُتفَاخِرٌ مُتَبَاهِ

بشَريفِه مولاي عَبدِ اللهِ

بشَريفِه مولاي عَبدِ اللهِ

Marrakech, vaunting, proud and glorying,

Marrakesh boasts and takes pride

in her noble one, my lord Abdallah—

in its sharif, Moulay Abd Allah,

ألبُوكلِي فَخرِ المجَالِس زينَةِ ال

ألبُوكلِي فَخرِ المجَالِس زينَةِ ال

حمَرا برَوضِ علائها تَيَّاه

حمَرا برَوضِ علائها تَيَّاه

al-Bukili, pride of gatherings, adornment of al-

al-Boukli, pride of gatherings, adornment of the

Hamra; through the garden of his eminence she struts.

Red City, exulting in the garden of her grandeur;

ألآمِرِ النَّاهِي بها أعظِم به

ألآمِرِ النَّاهِي بها أعظِم به

من آمِرٍ أعظِم به مِن نَاه

من آمِرٍ أعظِم به مِن نَاه

The one who commands and forbids there—how great is he!

who commands and forbids there—how great he is

How great a giver of commands, how great a giver of prohibitions!

as one who commands, how great as one who forbids!

مَازادهُ اسمُ خليفَةٍ قَدرا علَى

مَازادهُ اسمُ خليفَةٍ قَدرا علَى

قَدرٍ على ما عِندَه مِن جَاه

قَدرٍ على ما عِندَه مِن جَاه

The title khalifa added no measure of worth

The title of khalifa added no rank to

to the worth and eminence already his.

his rank, given the prestige he already possessed.

لكنَّ جِيدَ الغِيد والعِقَد النَّفي

لكنَّ جِيدَ الغِيد والعِقَد النَّفي

سَ كِلاَهُما بكِلَيهما مُتَزَاه

سَ كِلاَهُما بكِلَيهما مُتَزَاه

But the fair one’s neck and the precious neck-

Yet a beauty’s neck and a precious necklace—

lace—each is adorned by the other.

each glories in the other.

جَمُّ الوقارِ إلى النفُوس مُحَبَّبٌ

جَمُّ الوقارِ إلى النفُوس مُحَبَّبٌ

ومُغِيثُ مَدهِيٍّ دَهَتهُ دَوَاه

ومُغِيثُ مَدهِيٍّ دَهَتهُ دَوَاه

Abounding in dignity, beloved by every soul,

Full of dignity, beloved by souls,

and rescuer of the bewildered whom calamities assail.

and a rescuer of the afflicted whom calamities have struck.

لم أنسَ سَاعاتٍ قضَيتُ برَوضهِ

لم أنسَ سَاعاتٍ قضَيتُ برَوضهِ

عن صَفوِنا طَرفُ النوائِب سَاه

عن صَفوِنا طَرفُ النوائِب سَاه

I have not forgotten the hours I spent in his garden,

I have not forgotten the hours I spent in his garden,

heedless of fortune’s turns and calamity’s onset.

with misfortune’s eye heedless of our serenity.

ألراقصاتُ غصونُه عن وَقَع أن

ألراقصاتُ غصونُه عن وَقَع أن

غَام الطيُور وعَن خَرير مِيَاه

غَام الطيُور وعَن خَرير مِيَاه

Its branches dancing to the cadence of the melo-

Its branches dance to the rhythm of

dies of birds and to the murmur of waters.

birds’ melodies and the murmur of waters.

ألصَّادِرون الوَاردون ضُيوفُه

ألصَّادِرون الوَاردون ضُيوفُه

ووُقُوتُهُنَّ زواهرٌ وزَوَاه

ووُقُوتُهُنَّ زواهرٌ وزَوَاه

Those departing and arriving are his guests,

Those departing and arriving are his guests,

their fare radiant and resplendent.

and their hours are radiant and resplendent.

روضٌ يُظِلُّكَ فيه سِحرُ الفن حتَّى

روضٌ يُظِلُّكَ فيه سِحرُ الفن حتَّى

تُرشِدنَّك مُعجزَات الطَّاهي

تُرشِدنَّك مُعجزَات الطَّاهي

A garden where art’s enchantment shades you, until

A garden where art’s magic shades you, until

the chef’s marvels themselves guide you onward.

the chef’s miracles surely guide you.

يلقَاك بالتَّرحَاب رَبُّه باسما

يلقَاك بالتَّرحَاب رَبُّه باسما

في رِقَّةٍ للسَّلسِبيل تُضَاهِي

في رِقَّةٍ للسَّلسِبيل تُضَاهِي

Its master meets you with welcome, smiling,

Its master greets you warmly, smiling,

with a gentleness that rivals Salsabil.

with a gentleness that rivals Salsabil.

يَزهُو بِأوقاتِ الفَراغِ فإن دَنَت

يَزهُو بِأوقاتِ الفَراغِ فإن دَنَت

أوقاتُ جِدٍّ لم يَكن باللاَّهِي

أوقاتُ جِدٍّ لم يَكن باللاَّهِي

He glories in hours of leisure; but when

He revels in leisure hours; but should there draw near

hours of earnest work draw near, he is no idler.

hours of earnest work, he is no idler.

لا ذو تُقىً في ظاهِرٍ مُتَجنبٌ

لا ذو تُقىً في ظاهِرٍ مُتَجنبٌ

لأوَامرٍ مُتتَبِّعٌ لِنَوَاه

لأوَامرٍ مُتتَبِّعٌ لِنَوَاه

No man of merely outward piety, shunning

Nor one pious only in appearance, shunning

commands while eagerly following prohibitions.

commandments and pursuing forbidden things.

هذِي سِنونَ مَضَت لِرؤيَتِه ولَ

هذِي سِنونَ مَضَت لِرؤيَتِه ولَ

كن لم يَزل طَرفِي يَرَاهُ تُجَاهِي

كن لم يَزل طَرفِي يَرَاهُ تُجَاهِي

Years have now passed since I saw him, but—

These years have passed since I saw him, and

still my eyes behold him there before me.

yet my eye still beholds him before me.

لا زالَ مِن قِدَم العُصور ثَنَاؤُهُم

لا زالَ مِن قِدَم العُصور ثَنَاؤُهُم

يَجرِي علَى الأسمَاعِ والأفوَاه

يَجرِي علَى الأسمَاعِ والأفوَاه

From ages past, may their praise never cease

May praise of them, from ages of old, never cease

to flow through ears and mouths.

to flow into ears and over lips.

وإليكَها والوُدُّ رائدُها ودُم

وإليكَها والوُدُّ رائدُها ودُم

في نِعمةِ تسمُو وحِفظِ اللهِ

في نِعمةِ تسمُو وحِفظِ اللهِ

Here it is for you, with affection as its guide; abide

And here it is for you, with affection as its guide; remain

in ever-rising grace and in God’s protection.

in ever-rising blessing and in God’s protection.