شرفتwas ennobled بكthrough you الزوراءal-Zawra فخراin pride
شرفت بك الزوراء فخرا
وتضوعتand grew fragrant بشذاكwith your fragrance نشراdiffused fragrance
وتضوعت بشذاك نشرا
Through you, al-Zawra gained proud distinction,
The Zawra' was honored by you with pride
And grew fragrant, diffusing your scent.
And bloomed with your fragrance spreading
امستbecame سماءa sky إذwhen جلتunveiled
امست سماء إذ جلت
منfrom وجهكyour face الوضاحradiant بدراa full moon
من وجهك الوضاح بدرا
It became a sky when it unveiled
The sky was filled when you appeared
A full moon from your radiant face.
Like the bright full moon with your radiant face
ياO أيهاyou (vocative) الحبرthe learned scholar الذيwho
يا أيها الحبر الذي
ورتand saw (reading uncertain) بهin him العلماءthe scholars بحراan ocean
ورت به العلماء بحرا
O learned scholar in whom
O you ink with which
The scholars saw an ocean:
The scholars filled oceans of knowledge
بحراًan ocean خضماًvast and deep يرتميcasts forth
بحراً خضماً يرتمي
وهوwhile it is الزلالclear water العذبsweet and fresh دراpearls
وهو الزلال العذب درا
A vast ocean casting forth
A raging ocean that surges
Pearls, though its water is clear and sweet.
While being fresh sweet water
قدindeed غبتI was absent عنكfrom you ولمand did not تغبbe absent (you)
قد غبت عنك ولم تغب
عنfrom خاطريmy thoughts شوقاًin longing وذكرىand remembrance
عن خاطري شوقاً وذكرى
I have been absent from you, yet you have not been absent
I was absent from you but you never
From my thoughts, in longing and remembrance.
Left my mind or loving memories
ولسانand the tongue شكريmy gratitude ناطقspeaking
ولسان شكري ناطق
يطريlavishes praise علىfor الاحسانkindness شكراin gratitude
يطري على الاحسان شكرا
And the tongue of my gratitude speaks,
And my tongue gives thanks
Offering grateful praise for kindness.
Praising kindness and gratitude
للهto God (an admiring exclamation) اخلاقvirtues تروقdelight
لله اخلاق تروق
محاسناًin beauty وترقand grow tender بشراwith cheerfulness
محاسناً وترق بشرا
God be praised for virtues that delight
God's nature pleases
With their beauty and grow tender with good cheer!
With beauty and brightens faces
وزمانand a time وصلof fellowship قدindeed مضىhas passed
وزمان وصل قد مضى
بالكرخin al-Karkh طلقcheerful الوجهthe face نضراradiant
بالكرخ طلق الوجه نضرا
And a time of fellowship has passed
And days of connection have passed
In al-Karkh, cheerful-faced and radiant.
In Karkh with bright joyous faces
فبقيتso may you endure ياO عينchoicest one الافاضلthe eminent
فبقيت يا عين الافاضل
فيin نديthe assembly الفضلexcellence صدراforemost
في ندي الفضل صدرا
So may you endure, O choicest of the eminent,
So you remained, o eye of virtues
Foremost in the assembly of excellence.
At the forefront of grace and nobility
وشموسand the suns سعدكyour good fortune تنثنيturn back
وشموس سعدك تنثني
عنهاfrom them لحاظglances الخطبcalamity حسرىexhausted
عنها لحاظ الخطب حسرى
And from the suns of your good fortune turn back
And the suns of your happiness bend
The glances of calamity, exhausted.
The veils of sorrows in remorse