رَبَّmany a عيشlife واصلتناjoined us فيهin it غيدْgraceful maidens
رَبَّ عيش واصلتنا فيه غيدْ
أناI عبدٌa slave عربيArab فيهاamong them سعيدhappy
أنا عبدٌ عربي فيها سعيد
Many a life in which graceful maidens joined us!
My Lord, may we live in prosperity
I am an Arab slave, happy among them.
I am a happy Arab servant herein
تعمرflourish الأبياتthe verses حسناًin beauty إذsince بهthrough it
تعمر الأبيات حسناً إذ به
وثناand praise of الممدوحthe one praised قدindeed شيدwas built القصيدpoetry
وثنا الممدوح قد شيد القصيد
The verses flourish in beauty, for through it
The verses elegantly built as his glory
and praise of the one extolled, poetry has been built.
Our praised one has composed this poem
ياO أميناًtrustworthy one بالتقىby piety معتضداًstrengthened
يا أميناً بالتقى معتضداً
فهوfor he مهديٌّrightly guided وهادٍand a guide ورشيدand wise
فهو مهديٌّ وهادٍ ورشيد
O trustworthy one, strengthened by piety,
O you who is supported by piety
for he is rightly guided, a guide, and wise.
He is the Guided, Guide, and Rightly-Guided
هكذاthus كلّall اللياليthe nights موسمٌa festive season
هكذا كلّ الليالي موسمٌ
فيin حماكyour sanctuary الرَّحبspacious والأيامand the days عيدa feast
في حماك الرَّحب والأيام عيد
Thus every night is a festive season
Thus every night is a season
in your spacious sanctuary, and the days a feast.
In your spacious shelter and days are a feast
منfrom نداكyour generosity الجمabundant والعلمand learning معاًtogether
من نداك الجم والعلم معاً
لكَyou have بحرانtwo seas بسيطٌbroad ومديدand far-reaching
لكَ بحران بسيطٌ ومديد
From your abundant generosity and learning together,
From your bounty knowledge and wealth together
you have two seas: one broad and one far-reaching.
You have two vast seas outstretched
ولقدand indeed أشكوI complain لبعضto some of الناسthe people فيon
ولقد أشكو لبعض الناس في
ليلةِthe night of النصفmidmonth كماas يشكوcomplains الوحيدthe lonely one
ليلةِ النصف كما يشكو الوحيد
And indeed I complain to some people on
And I complain to some people in
the midmonth night, as a lonely man complains.
The night of mid-sha’ban like the lonely one
قاسمونيthey divided with me خطَّتيهاits two lots عَنَتاًto my distress
قاسموني خطَّتيها عَنَتاً
فيهمamong them الحلوىthe sweets وفيand in قلبيmy heart الوقودthe fuel
فيهم الحلوى وفي قلبي الوقود
They divided its two lots with me, to my distress:
They have assigned my love stubbornness
among them are sweets, and in my heart is fuel.
While they enjoy sweets and my heart burns