طوبى لِمن قد عمّدتهُ الضّادُ

طوبى لِمن قد عمّدتهُ الضّادُ

فسرا ضَويًّا نجمُهُ وقّادُ

فسرا ضَويًّا نجمُهُ وقّادُ

Blessed is he whom ḍād has baptized.

Blessed is he who the letter “Dha” has baptized

So he journeyed by night, frail, his star ablaze.

So his star shone brightly and led the way

صعدَتْ به مبهورةً وبها صعَدْ

صعدَتْ به مبهورةً وبها صعَدْ

والصّاعِدون إلى العُلا رُوّادُ

والصّاعِدون إلى العُلا رُوّادُ

She rose with him, dazzled, and with her he rose.

It ascended with him dazzled, and with it he ascended

And those ascending to the heights are pioneers.

And those ascending to the heights are pioneers

حقنَ القصيدةَ من عذيبِ بيانه

حقنَ القصيدةَ من عذيبِ بيانه

فتموْسقتْ وبها شَدا الإنشادُ

فتموْسقتْ وبها شَدا الإنشادُ

He infused the poem with the sweet water of his eloquence.

He quenched the poem with the agony of his rhetoric

So it became music, and through it recitation sang.

So it was well-arranged and singing captivated it

قد ردّها عربيةً سلطيُّنا

قد ردّها عربيةً سلطيُّنا

بحياضِها يتزاحمُ الوُرّادُ

بحياضِها يتزاحمُ الوُرّادُ

Our man of Salt has made it Arabic once more.

Our Sultan has restored it to pure Arabness

At its pools, those seeking water throng.

In its meadows, the visitors throng

أسْقى القوافي من نميرِ بديعهِ

أسْقى القوافي من نميرِ بديعهِ

من شعرهِ قد أبرقَ الإرعادُ

من شعرهِ قد أبرقَ الإرعادُ

He watered the rhymes from the pure stream of his artistry.

He quenched the rhymes with the radiance of his originality

From his poetry, thunder has flashed.

From his poetry, lightning has flashed

إنّ الذينَ تشعْوروا صِنو الغُثا

إنّ الذينَ تشعْوروا صِنو الغُثا

مهما تجمهرَ حولَهم أعْدادُ

مهما تجمهرَ حولَهم أعْدادُ

Indeed, those who play at poetry are kin to flotsam,

Those who wrapped themselves in the torrent’s protection

however many may gather around them.

No matter how many enemies gather around them

لا يُرتجى مِن مُقفرٍ حصدَ النّدى

لا يُرتجى مِن مُقفرٍ حصدَ النّدى

فاللاثمون لُمى النّدى مِدّادُ

فاللاثمون لُمى النّدى مِدّادُ

No harvest of dew can be expected from a barren one.

No dew harvest is hoped for from arid land

For those who kiss the dusky lips of dew are bountiful givers.

So the silent are deprived of the ink of dew

قُلْ للمليحةِ أنْ تُداري وجهها

قُلْ للمليحةِ أنْ تُداري وجهها

وتصومَ سمعًا عن هُرا من حادوا

وتصومَ سمعًا عن هُرا من حادوا

Tell the lovely one to conceal her face,

Say to the beauty to shun her face

and let her hearing fast from the drivel of those who strayed.

And fast hearing from the confused chatter

لا غرْمَ إن نقضوا الصّلاة وأسْرفوا

لا غرْمَ إن نقضوا الصّلاة وأسْرفوا

لا بدّ ثمّةَ نُسَّكٌ عُبّادُ

لا بدّ ثمّةَ نُسَّكٌ عُبّادُ

No loss if they break the prayer and go to excess.

No matter if they broke their prayers and sinned

Surely there are ascetics, devout worshippers.

There must be devotees there

قُل للمليحةِ أنْ تديم خِمارَها

قُل للمليحةِ أنْ تديم خِمارَها

حسْبُ الصلاةِ عليُّها وزياد

حسْبُ الصلاةِ عليُّها وزياد

Tell the lovely one to keep her veil on.

Say to the beauty to keep her veil

Her Ali and Ziyad suffice for prayer.

The prayer for her is enough and more