أَتَت فَشَفَت بطيب الوصل قلبي

أَتَت فَشَفَت بطيب الوصل قلبي

فتاةٌ تَيَّمت قلب المحبِّ

فتاةٌ تَيَّمت قلب المحبِّ

She came and healed my heart with the sweetness of union,

My heart was delighted when she brought the fragrance of reunion,

A maiden who enthralled the lover's heart.

A girl who captured the heart of the lover,

بديعةُ منظرٍ سلبت فُؤَادي

بديعةُ منظرٍ سلبت فُؤَادي

ومَن لي أَن أطالبها بسلبي

ومَن لي أَن أطالبها بسلبي

Wondrous to behold, she stole my heart—

Of beautiful appearance that stole my soul,

And who will help me demand from her what she stole?

And who can I blame for stealing my heart?

جَلَت وجهاً كبدر التِمِّ لكن

جَلَت وجهاً كبدر التِمِّ لكن

يلوح من الغدائر تحت حُجبَ

يلوح من الغدائر تحت حُجبَ

She unveiled a face like the moon at its fullest, yet

She revealed a face like the full moon but

It gleams beneath veils of tresses.

From under her veil a beauty spot shines,

بهِ وشمٌ كخطّ السِحر وافَى

بهِ وشمٌ كخطّ السِحر وافَى

لديهِ الخال بالتنقيط يسبي

لديهِ الخال بالتنقيط يسبي

Upon it is a tattoo like magic's script; there appeared

Like a line of sorcery fulfilling a promise,

Beside it a beauty spot, beguiling with its dot.

With a mole dotted as if taken captive.

فصيحةُ مَنطِقٍ ناغَت بلفظٍ

فصيحةُ مَنطِقٍ ناغَت بلفظٍ

كسلسالٍ من الصهبآءِ عذبِ

كسلسالٍ من الصهبآءِ عذبِ

Eloquent in speech, she cooed in words

Eloquent in speech, murmuring words

Like a sweet-flowing stream of reddish wine.

Like chains of soft silver beads,

أَتت تروي لنا عن لطف ذاتٍ

أَتت تروي لنا عن لطف ذاتٍ

غدت باللطف تسبي كلَّ لبِّ

غدت باللطف تسبي كلَّ لبِّ

She came to tell us of a gracious lady

She came to tell us of the kindness of her essence,

Who, through her grace, had come to captivate every mind.

Which with kindness has captivated every heart.

وقد أهدَت تحيَّاتٍ تحاكي

وقد أهدَت تحيَّاتٍ تحاكي

شذا النَسَماتِ عاطرةَ المَهَبِّ

شذا النَسَماتِ عاطرةَ المَهَبِّ

And she offered greetings that resembled

She gave greetings that mimic

The fragrance of breezes, sweet-scented as they blow.

The fragrance of the scented breeze,

رسولٌ للولآءِ دَعضت فُؤَادي

رسولٌ للولآءِ دَعضت فُؤَادي

فبادَرَ عند دَعوَتِها يلبِي

فبادَرَ عند دَعوَتِها يلبِي

A messenger of devotion, she [summoned] my heart,

A messenger of loyalty that gripped my soul

And it hastened at her summons to respond.

Responding immediately to her call.

ولآءُ كريمةٍ من خير قومٍ

ولآءُ كريمةٍ من خير قومٍ

سموا شرفاً على عُجمٍ وعُربِ

سموا شرفاً على عُجمٍ وعُربِ

The devotion of a noble lady from the finest people,

The loyalty of a generous woman from the best people

Who rose in honor above non-Arabs and Arabs.

Who were honored above non-Arabs and Arabs,

سراةٌ شاع ذكرهمُ فأَمسَى

سراةٌ شاع ذكرهمُ فأَمسَى

مَناط المدح في شرقِ وغرب

مَناط المدح في شرقِ وغرب

Nobles whose renown spread until it became

Their fame has spread so they have become

The focus of praise in East and West.

The object of praise in East and West.

لقد وَرثوا المعالي من قديمٍ

لقد وَرثوا المعالي من قديمٍ

وصانوها بشفرة كل عَضبِ

وصانوها بشفرة كل عَضبِ

They inherited lofty honors from ancient times

They inherited virtues from old

And guarded them with the blade of every keen sword.

And preserved it with the blade of every anger,

هم النُجُبُ الألَى كَرُموا وطابوا

هم النُجُبُ الألَى كَرُموا وطابوا

ولم يَلِدُوا كذلك غيرَ نُجبِ

ولم يَلِدُوا كذلك غيرَ نُجبِ

They are the noble ones, generous and good,

They are the refined elite who were generous and good

And likewise begot none but noble offspring.

And did not give birth except to the refined.

وحَسبُكَ منهمُ خَودٌ تبدَّت

وحَسبُكَ منهمُ خَودٌ تبدَّت

بهذا العصر تُخجِل كلَّ نَدبِ

بهذا العصر تُخجِل كلَّ نَدبِ

And enough for you is a fair maiden of theirs, who appeared

It is enough that among them appeared

In this age, putting every man of distinction to shame.

In this era one who shames all other women.

فتاةٌ زيَّنَت جِيد المعالي

فتاةٌ زيَّنَت جِيد المعالي

بِدُرٍّ من حِلَى الآداب رَطبِ

بِدُرٍّ من حِلَى الآداب رَطبِ

A maiden who adorned the neck of lofty excellence

A girl adorned the brow of virtues

With fresh pearls from the ornaments of letters.

With a ripe pearl of etiquette.

أهيمُ بها على بُعدٍ وماذا

أهيمُ بها على بُعدٍ وماذا

على الأَقدار لو سَمَحَت بِقُربِ

على الأَقدار لو سَمَحَت بِقُربِ

I am enamored of her from afar; and what harm

I yearn for her from afar but what can be done

Would the fates suffer if they granted nearness?

If fate would allow us to be close?

على مِصرَ السلامُ وساكنيها

على مِصرَ السلامُ وساكنيها

وما في مِصرَ من مآءٍ وتُربِ

وما في مِصرَ من مآءٍ وتُربِ

Peace upon Egypt and its inhabitants,

Peace be upon Egypt and its inhabitants

And upon all the water and soil in Egypt;

And everything in Egypt of water and soil.

على رَبعٍ بهِ قلبي مقيمٌ

على رَبعٍ بهِ قلبي مقيمٌ

ومَن لي أن أقيم مكانَ قلبي

ومَن لي أن أقيم مكانَ قلبي

Upon a dwelling where my heart abides—

Peace be upon the place where my heart resides

And who will help me dwell where my heart does?

And who can I blame for where my heart resides?

أَلا يا مَن سَمَت في كل فضلٍ

أَلا يا مَن سَمَت في كل فضلٍ

ونالت كلَّ خُلقٍ مُستحَبِّ

ونالت كلَّ خُلقٍ مُستحَبِّ

Ah, you who rose high in every virtue

O you who reached every virtue

And attained every commendable trait,

And attained every admirable trait,

ومَن فاضت مكارمُها فأَحيَت

ومَن فاضت مكارمُها فأَحيَت

لديَّ من القريحة كلَّ جَدبِ

لديَّ من القريحة كلَّ جَدبِ

And you whose noble gifts overflowed, reviving

You whose virtues overflowed and revived

Every barren patch of poetic inspiration within me:

In me poetry from every barrenness,

لقد أَولَيتِني كَرَماً وجوداً

لقد أَولَيتِني كَرَماً وجوداً

بمدحٍ عن صفاتكِ جآءَ يُنبِي

بمدحٍ عن صفاتكِ جآءَ يُنبِي

You have shown me kindness and bounty

You have honored me with generosity and bounty

With praise that came proclaiming your own qualities.

With praise of your traits that came to inspire me,

ثنآءٌ لستُ منهُ غيرَ أَنّي

ثنآءٌ لستُ منهُ غيرَ أَنّي

بهِ فاخرتُ أَترابي وصَحبي

بهِ فاخرتُ أَترابي وصَحبي

Praise I do not merit, though I

Praise I am not worthy of except that

Boasted of it to my peers and friends.

I boasted of it to my fellows and friends.

ورُبَّ مؤَلفٍ كالروض أجرَت

ورُبَّ مؤَلفٍ كالروض أجرَت

عليهِ سما البلاغة أيَّ سُحبِ

عليهِ سما البلاغة أيَّ سُحبِ

And many a written work, like a garden, has had

Many a composer like a verdant garden

Eloquence's sky send wondrous clouds over it.

Upon which the clouds of eloquence poured,

تهادَت فيهِ أبكار المعاني

تهادَت فيهِ أبكار المعاني

تجرُّ من الفصاحة ذيل عُجبِ

تجرُّ من الفصاحة ذيل عُجبِ

Virgin meanings glided gracefully within it,

In it the prime of meanings gathered

Trailing a proud train of eloquence.

Dragging behind the train of wonder.

لقد طابت فُكاهتهُ وأَهدَى

لقد طابت فُكاهتهُ وأَهدَى

لأَسقام القرائح خير طِبِّ

لأَسقام القرائح خير طِبِّ

Its wit was delightful, and it offered

His wit was delightful and he presented

The best medicine for the ailments of creative minds.

To the barren temperaments the best remedy,

جلا الحِكَم التي كانت مناراً

جلا الحِكَم التي كانت مناراً

لكلّ بصيرةٍ في كل خطبِ

لكلّ بصيرةٍ في كل خطبِ

It revealed the wise sayings that served as a beacon

Sublime wisdoms that were a beacon

To every discerning mind in every crisis.

For every insight in every discourse.

رأَيت نتائج الأحوال فيهِ

رأَيت نتائج الأحوال فيهِ

ممثَّلةً تلوح بغير نُقبِ

ممثَّلةً تلوح بغير نُقبِ

Within it I saw the outcomes of circumstances

I saw the outcomes of events in it

Portrayed, appearing without veils.

Depicted, gleaming without veils,

لتيموريَّة العصر المحلَّى

لتيموريَّة العصر المحلَّى

بما نَسَجَت يداها كلُّ حُبِ

بما نَسَجَت يداها كلُّ حُبِ

To the Taymuriyya of this age, an age adorned

The Teymouriya of the age adorned

By what her hands have woven, belongs all love.

With what her hands have woven, every love,

أديبةُ معشرٍ شَرُفَت أصولاً

أديبةُ معشرٍ شَرُفَت أصولاً

وسادَت بين أقلامٍ وكُتبٍ

وسادَت بين أقلامٍ وكُتبٍ

A woman of letters from a people, noble in lineage,

The authoress of a group noble in origin

Who rose to eminence among pens and books.

And presiding among pens and books,

حَوَت قَصَب السباق بكل فنٍّ

حَوَت قَصَب السباق بكل فنٍّ

وراضت في المعاني كلَّ صعبِ

وراضت في المعاني كلَّ صعبِ

She won the victor's reed in every art

She contained the flagstaff of precedence in every art

And tamed every difficulty in the realm of meanings.

And surpassed in meanings every difficulty.

ودونكِ غادةً عذرآءَ اهدت

ودونكِ غادةً عذرآءَ اهدت

تحيَّةَ شيِّقٍ لِلقاكِ صَبِّ

تحيَّةَ شيِّقٍ لِلقاكِ صَبِّ

And here for you is a graceful virgin maiden, offering

Next to you is Ghada the maiden who gifted

The greeting of one who longs to meet you, lovesick.

A greeting of yearning for meeting you, my youth.

ولو أَنّي قَدَرتُ جعلتُ ذاتي

ولو أَنّي قَدَرتُ جعلتُ ذاتي

بها سطراً ينادي الرَكبَ سِر بي

بها سطراً ينادي الرَكبَ سِر بي

And had I been able, I would have made myself

If only I could make myself

A line within her, calling to the caravan, 'Take me along!'

Through it a line calling the travelers: “Move on!”

تقرُّ بعجز من نَظَمَت حِلاها

تقرُّ بعجز من نَظَمَت حِلاها

وتلتمس القَبُول وذاك حَسبي

وتلتمس القَبُول وذاك حَسبي

She admits the inadequacy of the woman who strung her ornaments,

It settles for the inability of the one who composed its adornments,

And seeks acceptance; that is enough for me.

Seeking acceptance, and that is enough for me.