قَدْ شَمِمْنَا نَفَائِسَ الأَنْفَاسِ

قَدْ شَمِمْنَا نَفَائِسَ الأَنْفَاسِ

إِذَا قَرُبْنَا مِنَ الْبَهِيَّةِ فَاسِ

إِذَا قَرُبْنَا مِنَ الْبَهِيَّةِ فَاسِ

We have indeed inhaled the choicest breaths,

We have inhaled the most exquisite of fragrances,

When we drew near to radiant Fez.

as we drew near to the radiant city of Fez,

وَقَفَلْنَا مِنَ الزِّيَارَةِ نَرْجُو

وَقَفَلْنَا مِنَ الزِّيَارَةِ نَرْجُو

نَفْعَهَا وَاجْتِبَاءَ رَبِّ النَّاسِ

نَفْعَهَا وَاجْتِبَاءَ رَبِّ النَّاسِ

And we returned from the visit, hoping

and returned from the visitation, hoping

For its benefit and to be chosen by the Lord of humankind.

for its blessing and the chosen grace of the Lord of mankind.

فَانْتَشَتْ أَنْفُسٌ لَنَا بِشَذَاهَا

فَانْتَشَتْ أَنْفُسٌ لَنَا بِشَذَاهَا

وَطَرِبْنَا لِعَرْفِهَا بَعْدَ يَاسِ

وَطَرِبْنَا لِعَرْفِهَا بَعْدَ يَاسِ

So our souls were exhilarated by its fragrance,

So our souls became intoxicated by its sweet scent,

And we delighted in its scent after despair.

and we rejoiced at its perfume after despair.

وَسَقَانَا السُّرُورُ مِمَّا صَبَتْ أَرْ

وَسَقَانَا السُّرُورُ مِمَّا صَبَتْ أَرْ

وَاحُنَا لِلتَّسْلِيمِ أَلْطَفَ كَاسِ

وَاحُنَا لِلتَّسْلِيمِ أَلْطَفَ كَاسِ

And joy served us, as our spirits yearned

And joy gave us to drink, from the yearning of

To offer greetings, the most delicate cup.

our souls to offer peace, the gentlest cup.

وَصَبَوْنَا إِلَى لِقَاءِ سَرَاةٍ

وَصَبَوْنَا إِلَى لِقَاءِ سَرَاةٍ

طَيِّبِي النَّفْسِ عَاطِرِي الأَنْفَاسِ

طَيِّبِي النَّفْسِ عَاطِرِي الأَنْفَاسِ

And we yearned to meet noble men,

And we longed to meet the noble leaders,

Kindly of soul and fragrant of breath.

pure of spirit and fragrant of breath.

وَتَضَاعَفَ الشَّوْقُ مِنَّا لِأَفْرَا

وَتَضَاعَفَ الشَّوْقُ مِنَّا لِأَفْرَا

خٍٍ حِسَانٍٍ كَأَنْجُمِ الأَغْلاَسِ

خٍٍ حِسَانٍٍ كَأَنْجُمِ الأَغْلاَسِ

And our longing redoubled for

And our yearning multiplied for the tender

Lovely fledglings, like stars in the predawn gloom.

youths, beautiful as stars in the pre-dawn dark.

فَاسْتَرَاحَتْ أَجْسَامُنَا مِنْ عَنَاءِ السَّيْ

فَاسْتَرَاحَتْ أَجْسَامُنَا مِنْ عَنَاءِ السَّيْ

رِ وَأَفْكَارُنَا مِنَ الْوَسْوَاسِ

رِ وَأَفْكَارُنَا مِنَ الْوَسْوَاسِ

So our bodies rested from the toil of

Thus our bodies rested from the weariness of

Travel, and our thoughts from anxious whisperings.

the journey, and our minds from anxious thoughts.

وَاسْتَفَدْنَا قَرَائِحاً تَنْظِمُ الشِّعْ

وَاسْتَفَدْنَا قَرَائِحاً تَنْظِمُ الشِّعْ

رَ الْبَدِيعَ الْحُلَى الأَنِيقَ الْجِنَاسِ

رَ الْبَدِيعَ الْحُلَى الأَنِيقَ الْجِنَاسِ

And we gained poetic gifts that compose

And we gained clear minds to compose

Verse with wondrous adornments and elegant wordplay.

poetry of wondrous adornment and elegant wordplay.

بَلَّغّ اللهُ مَا قَصَدْنَا وَوَقَا

بَلَّغّ اللهُ مَا قَصَدْنَا وَوَقَا

نَا وَأَصْحَابَنَا ضُرُوبَ الْبَاسِ

نَا وَأَصْحَابَنَا ضُرُوبَ الْبَاسِ

May God fulfill what we sought and protect

May Allah fulfill what we intended, and protect

Us and our companions from every kind of hardship;

us and our companions from every kind of harm.

وَأَدَامَ أَزْكَى الصَّلاَةِ عَلَى الْمُخْ

وَأَدَامَ أَزْكَى الصَّلاَةِ عَلَى الْمُخْ

تَارِ طَهَ تَفُوقُ نَشْرَ الآسِ

تَارِ طَهَ تَفُوقُ نَشْرَ الآسِ

And perpetuate the purest blessings upon the Chosen

And may He perpetuate the purest blessings upon the

One, Taha—blessings surpassing myrtle's fragrance;

Chosen One, Taha, sweeter than the fragrance of myrtle,

وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَال

وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ وَال

تَّابِعِينَ الْمُرْدِينَ لِلْأَرْجَاسِ

تَّابِعِينَ الْمُرْدِينَ لِلْأَرْجَاسِ

And upon his family, his companions, and the

and upon his family, his companions, and the

Followers who destroy abominations,

followers who cast away all impurities,

مَا صَبَا نَازِحٌ إِلَى أَرْضِ فَاسِ

مَا صَبَا نَازِحٌ إِلَى أَرْضِ فَاسِ

وَأَغَذَّ الْيَرَاعُ فِي الْقِرْطَاسِ

وَأَغَذَّ الْيَرَاعُ فِي الْقِرْطَاسِ

As long as one far away longs for the land of Fez,

as long as a wanderer yearns for the land of Fez,

And the reed pen hastens across the page.

and as long as the reed pen glides swiftly upon the parchment.