فالروض عقفت الصبا اصداغه

فالروض عقفت الصبا اصداغه

والموج صفقت الشمال طرارهُ

والموج صفقت الشمال طرارهُ

So the garden—the east wind curled its temple-locks,

So the east wind has curled the garden’s temple-locks,

and the waves—the north wind tossed their forelocks.

and the north wind has slapped the waves’ fringes.

وأظن دجله اسلمت أو ما راي

وأظن دجله اسلمت أو ما راي

ت الجسر يقطع وسطها زناره

ت الجسر يقطع وسطها زناره

I think the Tigris has embraced Islam—or have you not see—

And I think the Tigris has embraced Islam—have you not seen

—n the bridge, its girdle cutting across her waist?

the bridge cutting the girdle at her waist?

وحكى بناء المجد فيها غارس

وحكى بناء المجد فيها غارس

غرس الصنائع حولها اشجاره

غرس الصنائع حولها اشجاره

And glory’s builder there was like a planter,

And a planter there mirrored the building of glory;

planting benefactions around it as his trees.

he planted his trees—acts of generosity—around it.

قد صور الفلك المدار كأنه

قد صور الفلك المدار كأنه

انشاه قبل كيانه وأداره

انشاه قبل كيانه وأداره

He fashioned the revolving firmament, as though

He has depicted the revolving celestial sphere, as though

he had created it before it existed and set it turning.

he had created it before its existence and set it turning.

وبنى على شرف الثريا قصره

وبنى على شرف الثريا قصره

وطحا على فلك النعائم داره

وطحا على فلك النعائم داره

He built his palace upon the Pleiades’ heights,

And he built his palace upon the heights of the Pleiades,

and spread his dwelling over the sphere of al-Naʿāʾim.

and spread his dwelling across the sphere of al-Na‘ā’im.

فالشيد يصقل صانعوه لجيته

فالشيد يصقل صانعوه لجيته

والساج ينقش مخلصوه نضاره

والساج ينقش مخلصوه نضاره

The plaster—its craftsmen polish its ocean-deep sheen;

So the plaster’s craftsmen polish its silver,

the teak—its finishers engrave its gold.

and the teak’s refiners engrave its gold.

شغلت خواطرنا ولحظ عيوننا

شغلت خواطرنا ولحظ عيوننا

مذ صار يجعل طرزه أشعاره

مذ صار يجعل طرزه أشعاره

It has engrossed our thoughts and our eyes’ gaze

Our thoughts and our eyes’ gaze have been captivated,

since he began making its ornamentation his poems—

since he began making its designs his verses.

أوسع مثالا ان خطرت بباله

أوسع مثالا ان خطرت بباله

ونل السماء إذا بلغت دياره

ونل السماء إذا بلغت دياره

more expansive in conception, should it occur to his mind.

Be vaster in form if you cross his mind,

And reach heaven when you reach his domains.

and attain the sky when you reach his dwellings.

ينسى العمالق واصف اخباره

ينسى العمالق واصف اخباره

ويهين مصر معدد امصاره

ويهين مصر معدد امصاره

The teller of his story forgets the Amalekite giants,

Whoever recounts his deeds forgets the Amalekites,

and he who numbers his cities puts Egypt to shame.

and whoever counts his cities belittles Egypt.