اليوم عم الشام نور الشامي

اليوم عم الشام نور الشامي

ونما بها نور السرور السامي

ونما بها نور السرور السامي

Today the Damascene’s light has flooded Damascus,

Today al-Shami's light has filled al-Sham,

and there the lofty light of joy has swelled.

and the light of lofty joy has grown within it.

وقضى السلام وقد مددت له يدي

وقضى السلام وقد مددت له يدي

أن تنطفي ناري ببرد سلام

أن تنطفي ناري ببرد سلام

A greeting ordained, as I held out my hand to him,

And the greeting decreed, as I held out my hand to him,

that my fire be quenched by a greeting’s coolness,

that my fire be quenched by the coolness of peace,

وبأن يؤثر في فروق فراقه

وبأن يؤثر في فروق فراقه

تأثير داء الحب في الأجسام

تأثير داء الحب في الأجسام

and that his parting affect one who dreads it

and that parting from him affect the fearful one

as love’s malady affects human bodies.

as lovesickness affects bodies.

علمت بأن دقيقةً من لوعة ال

علمت بأن دقيقةً من لوعة ال

توديع تنسي الصب لذة عام

توديع تنسي الصب لذة عام

I learned that a single minute of the anguish of

I learned that one minute of the anguish of

farewell makes the ardent lover forget a whole year’s delight.

farewell makes the lovesick forget a year's delight.

فتحدرت عبرات شوراها التي

فتحدرت عبرات شوراها التي

وجت النوى منها حشى الإلمام

وجت النوى منها حشى الإلمام

Then his council’s tears streamed down—the tears through which

Then the tears of its council [uncertain reading] streamed down,

separation wounded the very heart of meeting.

with which separation wounded the entrails of reunion.

لولا هوى الأوطان يبسط غدره

لولا هوى الأوطان يبسط غدره

لكرامها ما فاء غير ملام

لكرامها ما فاء غير ملام

Were it not for love of homelands spreading its treachery

Were it not for love of native lands, spreading its treachery

to their noble sons, he could return only blame-laden,

toward their noblemen, he would not have returned unreproached

عن سادة مثل الرياض بشاشة

عن سادة مثل الرياض بشاشة

غر الوجوه أفاضلٍ أعلام

غر الوجوه أفاضلٍ أعلام

away from lords, garden-like in their smiling welcome,

from lords as cheerful as gardens,

bright-faced, excellent men and eminent lights,

radiant-faced, virtuous, illustrious men,

ومدينة تنسي الغريب بلاده

ومدينة تنسي الغريب بلاده

بحلاوة الإعزاز والإكرام

بحلاوة الإعزاز والإكرام

and from a city that makes the stranger forget his homeland

and a city that makes the stranger forget his homeland

through the sweetness of honor and hospitality.

through the sweetness of esteem and honor.

فلجلق اليوم المسرة والهنا

فلجلق اليوم المسرة والهنا

والفوز بعد تقادم الأيام

والفوز بعد تقادم الأيام

So to Damascus today belong joy and bliss,

So Jilliq today has joy and happiness,

and triumph, after the long succession of days,

and triumph after the long passage of days,

بالأبلج الوضاح بل بالسيد ال

بالأبلج الوضاح بل بالسيد ال

جحجاح بل بالفارس القمقام

جحجاح بل بالفارس القمقام

through the radiant, resplendent one—nay, through the lord, the

through the radiant, resplendent one—nay, through the lord,

mighty chief—nay, through the peerless champion:

the magnanimous one—nay, through the mighty knight,

أنطون بل التون جلق مثل ما

أنطون بل التون جلق مثل ما

سماه شاه الترك والأعجام

سماه شاه الترك والأعجام

Anton—nay, the altun, the gold of Damascus—just as

Anton—nay, Jilliq's Altun (gold), just as

the Shah of the Turks and Persians called him.

the shah of the Turks and non-Arabs named him.

رجلٌ إذا الداعي دعاه لحاجةٍ

رجلٌ إذا الداعي دعاه لحاجةٍ

لباه بالإعزاز والإعظام

لباه بالإعزاز والإعظام

A man whom, whenever a petitioner calls upon him in need,

A man who, when a petitioner calls on him for a need,

he answers with honor and high esteem.

answers him with esteem and reverence.

ترك الأمور الغامضات بحذقه

ترك الأمور الغامضات بحذقه

كالخود قائمةً بغير لثام

كالخود قائمةً بغير لثام

His skill leaves obscure matters

Through his skill, he made obscure matters

like a fair maiden standing unveiled.

like a fair young maiden standing unveiled.

وعن المهندة اكتفى بيراعةٍ

وعن المهندة اكتفى بيراعةٍ

شقت قلوب نوائب الأيام

شقت قلوب نوائب الأيام

In place of Indian-steel swords, he is content with a reed pen

And he dispensed with Indian-forged swords, content with a reed pen

that cleaves the hearts of time’s calamities.

that split the hearts of the calamities of time.

سد يا ابن بيت المجد وافخر بالتقى

سد يا ابن بيت المجد وافخر بالتقى

والجود عند تباخل الأعوام

والجود عند تباخل الأعوام

Rule, O son of a house of glory; take pride in piety

Rule, O son of the house of glory, and take pride in piety

and generosity when the years turn miserly.

and generosity when the years grow miserly.

واسلم لنا يا كوكب الشرق الذي

واسلم لنا يا كوكب الشرق الذي

رحم الإله به بلاد الشام

رحم الإله به بلاد الشام

And remain safe for us, O star of the East, through whom

And remain safe for us, O star of the East, through whom

God has shown mercy to the lands of Syria.

God showed mercy to the lands of al-Sham.