أهلاً وسهلاً بوفود الربيع

أهلاً وسهلاً بوفود الربيع

وثغره البسام عند الطلوع

وثغره البسام عند الطلوع

Welcome, a warm welcome, to spring’s arriving hosts,

Welcome, a warm welcome, to the arrival of spring,

Welcome and greetings to the arrivals of spring

and to its smiling mouth as it rises;

And to its smiling mouth as it emerges.

With its smiling lip upon rising

كأنما أنواره حلةً

كأنما أنواره حلةً

من وشي صنعاء السري الرفيع

من وشي صنعاء السري الرفيع

its radiances seem a robe

As though its blossoms were a robe

As if its lights were a dress

of sumptuous, finely wrought brocade from Sana‘a.

Of Sana'a's sumptuous, exquisite brocade.

Of fine Yemeni silk, subtly splendid

أحبب به من زائرٍ زاهر

أحبب به من زائرٍ زاهر

دعا إلى اللهو فكنت السميع

دعا إلى اللهو فكنت السميع

How delightful a radiant visitor it is!

How lovable it is, this radiant visitor!

I loved in it a blossoming visitor

It called to pleasure, and I was the listener.

It called to merriment, and I was all ears.

Who called to play, and I listened

بت على الأرض درانيكه

بت على الأرض درانيكه

فكل ما تبصر منها بديع

فكل ما تبصر منها بديع

It spread its carpets over the earth,

It spread its carpets over the earth;

I spent the night on its ground

and everything you behold of them is wondrous.

Everything you see upon it is wondrous.

So everything I see in it is wonderful

كأنما الحاجب ذو المن وال

كأنما الحاجب ذو المن وال

إحسان إسماعيل مولى الجميع

إحسان إسماعيل مولى الجميع

As though the chamberlain, possessor of bounty and—

As though the chamberlain, endowed with generosity and

As if the one of bounty and kindness

benevolence—Isma‘il, patron of all—

Beneficence—Isma'il, patron of all—

Ismail, guardian of all

أهدى إليه طيب أخلاقه

أهدى إليه طيب أخلاقه

فنحن منها دهرنا في ربيع

فنحن منها دهرنا في ربيع

had bestowed upon it the sweetness of his character;

Had bestowed on it the sweetness of his virtues;

Gave to it the scent of his good character

through those virtues, all our days are spring.

So, thanks to them, we live all our days in spring.

So we from it live our time in spring

لا زال يبقى سالماً مادعت

لا زال يبقى سالماً مادعت

قمرية في فننٍ ذي فروع

قمرية في فننٍ ذي فروع

May he continue, safe and sound, as long as

May he ever remain safe, so long as there calls

It remains well as long as my

a turtledove calls from a many-branched bough.

A turtledove upon a bough with branches.

Moon-like one calls in varied arts