ياO بنيsons of العطارal-Attar (the perfumer) ياO عطرfragrance دمشقDamascus
يا بني العطار يا عطر دمشق
قدindeed ملكتمyou have taken possession of بمزيدwith an abundance of اللطفkindness رقيmy bondage
قد ملكتم بمزيد اللطف رقي
O sons of al-Attar, O fragrance of Damascus!
O sons of al-Attar, O fragrance of Damascus!
Through surpassing kindness, you have made me your thrall.
Through abundant kindness, you have won my servitude.
فاحwafted فيin الكونthe universe شذاكمyour fragrance فائقاsurpassing
فاح في الكون شذاكم فائقا
طيبfragrance وردroses الروضthe garden فيin نشرspreading ونشقand inhalation
طيب ورد الروض في نشر ونشق
Your fragrance wafted through the universe, surpassing
Your fragrance has wafted through the universe, surpassing
the perfume of garden roses, whether wafted or inhaled.
the scent of garden roses as it spreads and is inhaled.
لسماءtoward the heaven of المجدglory سامlofty فرعكمyour branch
لسماء المجد سام فرعكم
ولكمand you have أصلa root نماgrew منfrom خيرthe finest عرقstock
ولكم أصل نما من خير عرق
Your bough soared toward glory’s heaven,
Your branch towers toward the heaven of glory,
and yours is a root sprung from the finest stock.
and yours is a root grown from the finest stock.
طفلكمyour child نجمa star وبدرand a full moon كهلكمyour middle-aged man
طفلكم نجم وبدر كهلكم
ثمthen انindeed الشيخthe elder منكمamong you شمسa sun افقa horizon
ثم ان الشيخ منكم شمس افق
Your child is a star, your elder a full moon;
Your child is a star, and your mature man a full moon;
then indeed, the sheikh among you is a horizon’s sun.
then indeed, the elder among you is a sun on the horizon.
ياO بدرfull moon of الشامal-Sham ياO أهلpeople of العلاlofty rank
يا بدر الشام يا أهل العلا
ضوؤكمyour light لاحshone بغربin the west وبشرقand in the east
ضوؤكم لاح بغرب وبشرق
O full moon of the Levant, O people of high glory!
O full moon of al-Sham, O people of lofty rank!
Your light has gleamed in West and East.
Your light has shone in the west and the east.
سدتمyou became leaders of الناسthe people بعلمthrough knowledge وتقىand piety
سدتم الناس بعلم وتقى
وبمعروفand through good deeds واحسانand benevolence ورفقand gentleness
وبمعروف واحسان ورفق
You became masters of all people through knowledge and piety,
You have led the people through knowledge and piety,
through good works, benevolence, and gentleness.
and through good deeds, benevolence, and gentleness.
فإذاso if رامseeks مجاراةkeeping pace لكمwith you
فإذا رام مجاراة لكم
ذوone of اعتلاءhigh rank فلكمthen yours are اقصابprize reeds سبقvictory
ذو اعتلاء فلكم اقصاب سبق
And if one should seek to rival you—
So if someone seeks to rival you,
a man of eminence—yours is the palm of victory.
one of high rank—the reeds of victory are yours.
حبذاhow splendid الأسرةthe family أنتمyou are فيamong الورىhumankind
حبذا الأسرة أنتم في الورى
ياO سراةnobles احرزواhave attained كلevery ترقيadvancement
يا سراة احرزوا كل ترقي
How fine a family you are among humankind!
What a splendid family you are among humankind!
O nobles, attain every further height!
O nobles who have attained every height!
اناI لاnot ابرجI cease اشدوI sing باسمكمof your name
انا لا ابرج اشدو باسمكم
حاكياimitating فيon ورقيmy paper تغريدcooing ورقgray doves
حاكيا في ورقي تغريد ورق
I shall never cease to sing your name,
I never cease singing your name,
imitating on my page the warbling of doves.
imitating on my pages the cooing of gray doves.
ولكمand to you أبقىI remain اسيراًa captive دائماalways
ولكم أبقى اسيراً دائما
طائعاobedient فيto أمركمyour command منwith غيرno أبقflight from bondage
طائعا في أمركم من غير أبق
To you I remain a captive always,
And I shall always remain your captive,
obedient to your command, never running away.
obedient to your command, without fleeing.
انif اردتمyou wish سادتيmy masters انto تعتقواyou set free
ان اردتم سادتي ان تعتقوا
فاناthen I لاnot ارتضيI consent منكمfrom you بعتقيto my emancipation
فانا لا ارتضي منكم بعتقي
If, my masters, you should wish to set me free,
If you wish, my masters, to set me free,
I would not consent to my emancipation at your hands,
then I will not consent to being freed by you.
شاكراgrateful for افضالكمyour favors طولthroughout المدىtime
شاكرا افضالكم طول المدى
حيثsince منكمfrom you نالنيreached me ماwhat فوقbeyond حقيmy due
حيث منكم نالني ما فوق حقي
grateful for your favors through all time,
Grateful for your favors for all time,
since from you I received more than my due.
since from you I have received more than my due.
اصدقائيmy friends والاخلاand close companions أنتموyou are
اصدقائي والاخلا أنتمو
أهلpeople of وديmy affection أهلpeople of حبيmy love أهلpeople of عشقيmy passionate love
أهل ودي أهل حبي أهل عشقي
My friends and intimates—you are
You are my friends and close companions,
the people of my affection, my love, my passion:
those I cherish, those I love, those I adore.
طاهرواpure الذيلthe hem كرامnoble سادةlords
طاهروا الذيل كرام سادة
أهلpeople of فضلmerit حسنواfair in خلقٍphysical form وخلقand character
أهل فضل حسنوا خلقٍ وخلق
with unstained hems, noble lords,
Spotless of hem, noble lords,
people of virtue, fair in form and character.
people of merit, fair in form and character.
زادكمmay He increase you ربيmy Lord علوماbranches of knowledge وهدىand guidance
زادكم ربي علوما وهدى
معwith رغيدcomfortable العيشlife فيamid أوسعthe amplest رزقprovision
مع رغيد العيش في أوسع رزق
May my Lord increase you in knowledge and guidance,
May my Lord increase you in knowledge and guidance,
with ease of life and the amplest provision.
with a life of ease amid the amplest provision.
Sol 6.1