عجب وما هو بالعجبْ

عجب وما هو بالعجبْ

نور بظلمته احتجبْ

نور بظلمته احتجبْ

A marvel—yet it is no marvel.

Wondrous, yet no wonder!

A light concealed by His darkness.

A light veiled in darkness.

شهر لشهرة أمره

شهر لشهرة أمره

رمضان وهو أخو رجب

رمضان وهو أخو رجب

A month, for the renown of His affair:

A month of renown—

Ramadan, and He is Rajab’s brother.

Ramadan, brother of Rajab,

وهو الحرام لحرمة

وهو الحرام لحرمة

وجبت له مما وجب

وجبت له مما وجب

And He is the sacred one, for a sanctity

Sacrosanct for its sanctity.

that is due to Him among what is due.

Obligatory obligations upon it.

والدهر من أسمائه

والدهر من أسمائه

فيه المسرة والسخب

فيه المسرة والسخب

And Time is among His names;

Its name, throughout time:

in Him are joy and uproar.

Joy and gloom.

أشجاره نحن اللحا

أشجاره نحن اللحا

ء لها الملائم والنجب

ء لها الملائم والنجب

His trees—we are the bark

We are its shady trees,

suited to them, and the rind.

Finding it a fitting match.

والموج نحن لأنه

والموج نحن لأنه

بحر خضم ذو لجب

بحر خضم ذو لجب

And we are the waves, for He

And we are its waves

is a vast sea, full of roaring.

For it is a deep, swelling sea.

والله أكبر فافهموا

والله أكبر فافهموا

عجب وما هو بالعجب

عجب وما هو بالعجب

And God is greatest—so understand:

God is Greatest! Understand—

A marvel—yet it is no marvel.

Wondrous, yet no wonder!