ما لِمُراكشٍ تَفيضُ سُروراً

ما لِمُراكشٍ تَفيضُ سُروراً

وأهَاليها باسِماتٍ ثُغورا

وأهَاليها باسِماتٍ ثُغورا

Why is Marrakech overflowing with joy,

What makes Marrakesh overflow with joy,

and why do its people wear smiles upon their lips?

While its people were frowning in sorrow,

وغَدا الكُلُّ طافِحاً بابتهاجٍ

وغَدا الكُلُّ طافِحاً بابتهاجٍ

وغَدَا طرفُهُم جميعاً قَريرا

وغَدَا طرفُهُم جميعاً قَريرا

And everyone has come to brim with gladness,

And everyone became elated with delight,

and all their eyes have grown content.

And their eyes became cheerful,

وتَراهُم ما بينَ همسِ وجَهرٍ

وتَراهُم ما بينَ همسِ وجَهرٍ

عن سُرورٍ مُعَبِّراً تَعبيرا

عن سُرورٍ مُعَبِّراً تَعبيرا

You see them, whether whispering or speaking aloud,

You see them whispering and speaking aloud,

giving expression to their joy.

Expressing joy and pleasure,

فَكبيرٌ يُحَدثنَ صَغيراً

فَكبيرٌ يُحَدثنَ صَغيراً

وصغيرٌ يُحَِدثنكبيرا

وصغيرٌ يُحَِدثنكبيرا

So an elder speaks to a youngster,

So the old speaks to the young,

and a youngster speaks to an elder.

And the young speaks to the old,

قيلَ باشا الحَمرا المُسَدَّدُ رأياً

قيلَ باشا الحَمرا المُسَدَّدُ رأياً

والذي صيتُه كسا المَعمورا

والذي صيتُه كسا المَعمورا

It was said: the Pasha of al-Hamra, sound in judgment,

It is said Basha Al Hamra, the wise,

and whose renown has clothed the inhabited world,

Whose fame covered the civilized world,

قد أنابَ ابنهًَ المُهذَّبَ عبَد الصَّادِق

قد أنابَ ابنهًَ المُهذَّبَ عبَد الصَّادِق

الصادق الأعَزِّ نَظيرا

الصادق الأعَزِّ نَظيرا

has deputized his well-bred son, Abd al-Sadiq,

Has appointed his refined son Abdel-Sadiq,

the truthful, most cherished, as his counterpart.

The truthful, the most honorable peer,

فلِهذا ترى العوالِمَ تَزهى

فلِهذا ترى العوالِمَ تَزهى

وتَرى الكُلَّ باسماً مَسرورا

وتَرى الكُلَّ باسماً مَسرورا

That is why you see the worlds exulting,

That is why you see the world adorned,

and everyone smiling and happy;

And everyone joyful and delighted,

وُوجوهاً قد أشرَقَ البِشرُ فيها

وُوجوهاً قد أشرَقَ البِشرُ فيها

وقُلوباً قد اتَّحَدنَ شُعورا

وقُلوباً قد اتَّحَدنَ شُعورا

and faces upon which cheerfulness has dawned,

With faces shining with good news,

and hearts that have become one in feeling.

And hearts unified in feeling,

واستحالَ الزَّمانُ فَصلَ رَبيعٍ

واستحالَ الزَّمانُ فَصلَ رَبيعٍ

عَطَّرَ الزَّهرَ عَشوَةً وبُكورا

عَطَّرَ الزَّهرَ عَشوَةً وبُكورا

And time has become a season of spring,

And time has become a spring season,

perfuming the blossoms at nightfall and at dawn.

That scented the flowers in the morning and evening,

وتَبدَّت مُراكِشٌ كَعَروسٍ

وتَبدَّت مُراكِشٌ كَعَروسٍ

كُسِيَت ثوبَ سُندُسٍ وحَريرا

كُسِيَت ثوبَ سُندُسٍ وحَريرا

And Marrakech appeared like a bride,

And Marrakesh appeared like a bride,

clad in a robe of fine brocade and silk.

Dressed in silk and satin,

كيف لا وهو مَن عَلِمتَهُ شَهماً

كيف لا وهو مَن عَلِمتَهُ شَهماً

حازماً بالشُّؤونِ طُراًّ خَبيرا

حازماً بالشُّؤونِ طُراًّ خَبيرا

How could it be otherwise, when he is the man you have known as gallant,

How can it not be, when you know he is courageous,

resolute, versed in every affair;

Decisive in affairs, intelligent and expert,

ألمَعِيًّا سَمَيدَعاً لَوذَعيًّا

ألمَعِيًّا سَمَيدَعاً لَوذَعيًّا

وأديباً وعالِماً نِحريرا

وأديباً وعالِماً نِحريرا

perceptive, noble, sharp-witted,

Brilliant, forbearing, gentle and kind,

and a man of letters and a deeply learned scholar?

Learned, and a great writer,

زانَهُ خُلُقٌ فاحَ كالمِسكِ نَشراً

زانَهُ خُلُقٌ فاحَ كالمِسكِ نَشراً

وذَكاءٌ يَكادُ يَسطعُ نورا

وذَكاءٌ يَكادُ يَسطعُ نورا

A character spreading fragrance like musk adorns him,

His manners diffused like spreading musk,

and an intelligence that all but radiates light.

And intellect that almost shines light,

زادَهُ اللهُ بالتَّواضُعِ عِزًّا

زادَهُ اللهُ بالتَّواضُعِ عِزًّا

واعتباراً ورفعةً وظُهورا

واعتباراً ورفعةً وظُهورا

God has increased his honor through humility,

God increased him in humility and dignity,

and his esteem, stature, and prominence.

And wisdom, status, and eminence,

خَلقَ اللهُ في التَّواضُعِ سِرا

خَلقَ اللهُ في التَّواضُعِ سِرا

وعمَى عنهُ غافِلاًُ مَغرورا

وعمَى عنهُ غافِلاًُ مَغرورا

God has created a secret within humility,

God created a secret in humility,

and the heedless, conceited man is blind to it.

And blinded the arrogant and conceited from it,

يَملأُ العينَ شخصُه حين يبدو

يَملأُ العينَ شخصُه حين يبدو

مِثلَما يَملأُ القُلوبَ حُبورا

مِثلَما يَملأُ القُلوبَ حُبورا

His figure fills the eye when he appears,

His personality fills the eye when he appears,

just as he fills hearts with joy.

As love fills the hearts with passion,

ويُحِّييكَ إذ تُحَيِّيهِ فوراً

ويُحِّييكَ إذ تُحَيِّيهِ فوراً

لا عَبوساً يُرَى ولا قَمطريرا

لا عَبوساً يُرَى ولا قَمطريرا

And he greets you at once when you greet him;

He greets you when you greet him immediately,

he is seen neither frowning nor grim-faced.

Not frowning or sullen,

أنت لِلمَجدِ قد خُلِقتَ وهذي

أنت لِلمَجدِ قد خُلِقتَ وهذي

آيةُ المَجدِ في الجَبينِ سُطورا

آيةُ المَجدِ في الجَبينِ سُطورا

You were indeed created for glory, and this

You were created for glory, and this,

is glory's sign, inscribed in lines upon your brow.

Is the verse of glory written on the forehead.