تذكر جرعاء الحمى فتجرعا

تذكر جرعاء الحمى فتجرعا

كؤس الأسى بالدمعِ راحاً مشعشعا

كؤس الأسى بالدمعِ راحاً مشعشعا

He recalled al-Hima's sandy tract and drank down

Remember the fevered thirsting for water, so they took

cups of sorrow—wine diluted with tears.

A cup of sorrow, weeping copiously.

وفارق جيران الغضا غير أنه

وفارق جيران الغضا غير أنه

به أودع القلب الشجيّ وودَّعا

به أودع القلب الشجيّ وودَّعا

And he parted from the neighbors of the ghada groves, yet he

And he left the neighbors of youth, except

left his sorrowful heart there and bade farewell.

In his heart he left ardent love and said farewell.

يكرِّر لثم الترب حتَّى كأنه

يكرِّر لثم الترب حتَّى كأنه

يحاول ختماً للذي فيه أودعا

يحاول ختماً للذي فيه أودعا

He kisses the earth repeatedly, as though he

He repeats kissing the soil as if

were trying to seal what he had deposited within it.

He tries to seal what he deposited in it.

فأدمعهُ قد صرنَ ألفاظ شجوه

فأدمعهُ قد صرنَ ألفاظ شجوه

وألفاظه من رقَّةٍ صرنَ أدمعا

وألفاظه من رقَّةٍ صرنَ أدمعا

So his tears have become the words of his grief,

So his tears have become the words of his passion

and his words, through tenderness, have become tears.

And his words from tenderness have become tears.

أقولُ وقد راجعت بالشام ذكرهم

أقولُ وقد راجعت بالشام ذكرهم

ألا قاتلَ الله الحمام المرجعا

ألا قاتلَ الله الحمام المرجعا

I say, having recalled them in al-Sham:

I say, and I have returned to Damascus remembering them

Ah, may God confound the trilling doves!

Oh if only God destroys the doves returning!

يذكرني عهد العقيق كأنه

يذكرني عهد العقيق كأنه

بلؤلؤِ دمعي صارَ عقداً مرصَّعا

بلؤلؤِ دمعي صارَ عقداً مرصَّعا

It reminds me of the days at al-Aqiq, as though it,

It reminds me of the days of sandalwood perfume as if

with the pearls of my tears, had become a gem-studded necklace.

With my pearls of tears it became a necklace adorned.

عسى كلّ عام زورة لمفارق

عسى كلّ عام زورة لمفارق

فيا حبَّذا من أجل لمياء كلّ عا

فيا حبَّذا من أجل لمياء كلّ عا

May each year bring a visit for one who has parted;

Perhaps every year, visiting after parting

so how welcome, for Lamya's sake, every [year]!

How excellent for the sake of places with water!

إمام الهدى والعلم هنئت مقصداً

إمام الهدى والعلم هنئت مقصداً

سعيداً وعوداً بالقبولِ ومرجعا

سعيداً وعوداً بالقبولِ ومرجعا

Imam of guidance and learning, blessings on your destination,

Leader of guidance and knowledge, I congratulated

a happy one, and your accepted homecoming and place of return,

Happy arrival and promise of acceptance and return.

يطوف ويسعى للإمام الذي سعى

يطوف ويسعى للإمام الذي سعى

وطاف بذيَّاك الحمى وتمتَّعا

وطاف بذيَّاك الحمى وتمتَّعا

which circles and hastens for the imam who hastened,

Circling and hastening to the Imam who hastened

and circled within that sanctuary and rejoiced.

And circled the beloved fevered places and enjoyed.

تكاد ستور البيت تجذب برده

تكاد ستور البيت تجذب برده

لعرفان محمود الشمائل أروعا

لعرفان محمود الشمائل أروعا

The House's curtains almost tug at his cloak,

The curtains of the house almost pull in his cold

recognizing a splendid man of praiseworthy character.

Knowing the praiseworthy traits even more beautiful.

لعمري لقد سرّ المقام وأهله

لعمري لقد سرّ المقام وأهله

بزورة أوفى الزائرين وأورعا

بزورة أوفى الزائرين وأورعا

By my life, the Station and its people were truly gladdened

By my life, the place and its people rejoiced

by a visit from the most faithful and devout of visitors.

With the visit of the most faithful and devout visitors.

فإن ملأ الإحسان كمّ مجاور

فإن ملأ الإحسان كمّ مجاور

فقد ملأ الحجر المحامد والدعا

فقد ملأ الحجر المحامد والدعا

So if generosity filled a sanctuary-dweller's sleeve,

For however many guests fill with kindness

then praises and prayers have filled the Hijr.

They have filled the stones with praise and prayer.

وهنئ أفق الشام رجعة نير

وهنئ أفق الشام رجعة نير

مليٍّ بإسعاد الرعيَّة والرعا

مليٍّ بإسعاد الرعيَّة والرعا

And congratulate al-Sham's horizon on a luminary's return,

And the horizon of Damascus rejoiced at the return

one well able to gladden subjects and shepherds.

Of a brilliant leader, making the people and land happy.

تحييه أغصان البلاد كأنما

تحييه أغصان البلاد كأنما

هوت سجداً نحو الأمام وركَّعا

هوت سجداً نحو الأمام وركَّعا

The land's branches greet him, as though they

The branches of the country greet him as if

had fallen forward, prostrating and bowing.

They fell prostrate towards the Imam and bent in prayer.

وتلثم حتى مبسم الغيث في الثرى

وتلثم حتى مبسم الغيث في الثرى

بدور لآثار الركائب مطلعا

بدور لآثار الركائب مطلعا

And even the rain's smiling mouth in the earth is kissed

And they continue kissing until the smile of the rain in the land

by full moons whose rising-place is the riding camels' tracks.

At the passage of the mounts appears.

لك الله ما أتقى وأنقى سريرة

لك الله ما أتقى وأنقى سريرة

وأرفع قدراً في الأنامِ وأنفعا

وأرفع قدراً في الأنامِ وأنفعا

God be with you! How devout and pure in inward spirit,

May God grant you the most pious and pure of hearts

how lofty in rank among humankind, and how beneficial!

And highest in rank among people and most beneficial.

وأكرم في الأنساب والفضل جمة

وأكرم في الأنساب والفضل جمة

وأشرف في الدنيا وفي الدين موضعا

وأشرف في الدنيا وفي الدين موضعا

And how noble in lineage and abundant in merit,

And most generous in lineage and overflowing merits

and how exalted your place in this world and in religion!

And noblest in this world and in religion a pillar.

وأندى يداً لو أورقت عود منبر

وأندى يداً لو أورقت عود منبر

لما عجب الرائي وإن قيل أينع

لما عجب الرائي وإن قيل أينع

And how generous your hand! Were it to make a pulpit's wood sprout leaves,

And softest hand which if it waved a thin branch

the beholder would not marvel, even if told, 'It has borne ripe fruit.'

The onlooker would wonder and say most delicate.

كرامات من مدّت يداً دعواته

كرامات من مدّت يداً دعواته

ظلالاً إلى أن عمَّت الناس أجمعا

ظلالاً إلى أن عمَّت الناس أجمعا

Wonders of one whose prayers stretched out a hand,

Blessings from a hand whose prayers

as sheltering shade, until it covered all the people.

Shaded people altogether.

إليك خطيب الشام لابن خطيبها

إليك خطيب الشام لابن خطيبها

براعة مدح كانَ برّك أبرعا

براعة مدح كانَ برّك أبرعا

Accept, preacher of al-Sham, from the son of its preacher,

To you, speaker of Damascus, son of its speaker

a brilliant tribute—your kindness was more brilliant still.

Eloquence in praise was your righteousness even greater

مديحك فرض لازم لي فطالما

مديحك فرض لازم لي فطالما

بدأت فأسديت الجميل تطوّعا

بدأت فأسديت الجميل تطوّعا

Praising you is a binding duty for me, for so often

Praising you is an obligation for me since I have

you took the initiative and bestowed kindness freely.

Begun, bestowing favors voluntarily.