قالواthey said ولعتyou became enamored بشيخونwith Shaykhun وليسand there is not بهاin it
قالوا ولعت بشيخون وليس بها
سوىexcept الترابthe soil يثيرstirs up العجdust clouds فيin الطرقthe roads
سوى التراب يثير العج في الطرق
They said, “You are enamored of Shaykhun, though it holds
They said, “You are enamored of Shaykhun, though it holds
nothing but earth, with clouds of dust rising on the roads.”
nothing but soil that raises dust in the roads.”
فقلتso I said غايةthe ultimate end كلall البارزاتmanifest things الىto
فقلت غاية كل البارزات الى
هذاthis الترابsoil وليand I have سرa secret هناكthere بقيhas remained
هذا التراب ولي سر هناك بقي
I answered, “The final end of all that comes forth is
I replied, “All that comes forth finds its end in
this earth—and a secret of mine remains there:
this soil; and a secret of mine remains there.
صيادa hunter افئدةhearts الانجابthe noble مرقدهhis resting place
صياد افئدة الانجاب مرقده
امامan imam قامrose مثلlike الشمسthe sun فيin الافقthe horizon
امام قام مثل الشمس في الافق
his resting place has captured the hearts of noble souls—
His resting place captures the hearts of the noble;
an imam who arose like the sun upon the horizon.
he was an imam who rose like the sun on the horizon.
وقدand indeed شببناwe grew up علىon مبذولfreely bestowed انعمهhis blessings
وقد شببنا على مبذول انعمه
كالغصنlike a branch جملgrew beautiful حينwhen ازدانwas adorned بالورقwith leaves
كالغصن جمل حين ازدان بالورق
We grew to youth sustained by his freely bestowed bounty,
And we grew up on his freely bestowed blessings,
like a bough made lovely when adorned with leaves.
like a branch that grew fair when adorned with leaves.
وللبقاعand places have حقوقrights ليسdoes not يجحدهاdeny them
وللبقاع حقوق ليس يجحدها
زكيpure الولادةbirth مأمونbeyond suspicion الحليبmilk نقيunsullied
زكي الولادة مأمون الحليب نقي
Places have claims that no one will deny
And places have rights never denied
whose birth is pure, whose nursing was wholesome, and who is untainted.
by one pure of birth, nursed on blameless milk, and unsullied.
شيخونShaykhun اولthe first ارضland مسtouched تربتهاits soil
شيخون اول ارض مس تربتها
جلديmy skin وقمتand I stood بهاin it مستكملcomplete in النسقform
جلدي وقمت بها مستكمل النسق
Shaykhun is the first land whose soil ever touched my skin;
Shaykhun was the first land whose soil was touched
there I arose, my form brought to full completion.
by my skin; there I stood, fully formed.
وماand not التفاخرtaking pride بالبلدانin lands شامخةlofty
وما التفاخر بالبلدان شامخة
بلrather فخرpride اهلpeople of النهىreason بالعرقin lineage والخلقand character
بل فخر اهل النهى بالعرق والخلق
Nor does pride lie in cities, however lofty;
And pride lies not in lofty lands,
rather, the wise take pride in lineage and character.
but the wise take pride in lineage and character.
ولاand not يضرharms اثيلdeep-rooted in المجدglory حاسدهhis envier
ولا يضر اثيل المجد حاسده
اذاwhen تعامىhe feigns blindness وقالand he says الصبحdawn كالغسقlike dusk
اذا تعامى وقال الصبح كالغسق
No envier can harm one whose glory is deep-rooted
Nor is one of deep-rooted glory harmed by his envier,
when he feigns blindness and says the dawn is like dusk.
when he feigns blindness and says, ‘Dawn is like dusk.’
وصاحبand one possessed of الفضلmerit مهماhowever much راحhe goes on يكتمهconcealing it
وصاحب الفضل مهما راح يكتمه
كحاملlike a bearer of المسكmusk لاnot يخلوis devoid منof العبقfragrance
كحامل المسك لا يخلو من العبق
And one possessed of merit, however much he may conceal it,
And one possessed of merit, however much he conceals it,
is like a bearer of musk, never without its fragrance.”
is like a bearer of musk, never without its fragrance.”
