فيin الشَّامِthe Levant أشتاقُI yearn for عيشاًa life طيباًsweet بهجاjoyous
في الشَّامِ أشتاقُ عيشاً طيباً بهجا
فالقلبُfor the heart فيهِin it معwith الأثمارِthe fruits قدalready نضَجاripened
فالقلبُ فيهِ مع الأثمارِ قد نضَجا
I yearn for a sweet, joyous life in the Levant.
In Damascus I yearn for a happy, delightful life
For there the heart has ripened along with the fruits.
For the heart in it has ripened with the fruits
جنيتُI gathered منfrom زَهرهِits blossoms والنفسُand the soul مزهرةٌblooming
جنيتُ من زَهرهِ والنفسُ مزهرةٌ
فلمso … not أزلI cease منfrom يديmy hand أستنشِقُI inhale الأرجاthe fragrance
فلم أزل من يدي أستنشِقُ الأرجا
I gathered from its blossoms while my soul was in bloom.
I have picked its flowers and my soul blossoms
So I have never ceased breathing in the fragrance from my hand.
I have not ceased to breathe in its scent
ذكرُremembrance الصِّباyouth والصَّباand the east wind فيin الليلِthe night أرّقنيkept me sleepless
ذكرُ الصِّبا والصَّبا في الليلِ أرّقني
فبتُّso I spent the night أُوقِدُI kindle فيin ظلمائهِits darkness سُرُجاlamps
فبتُّ أُوقِدُ في ظلمائهِ سُرُجا
The memory of youth and the east wind kept me sleepless at night.
The memory of youth kept me awake at night
So I spent the night lighting lamps in its darkness.
I stayed up lighting a lamp in its darkness
واoh حسرتاهُmy sorrow! علىfor النائيthe faraway one الغريبِthe stranger وقدand already
وا حسرتاهُ على النائي الغريبِ وقد
أمسىbecame حزيناًsorrowful بماover what لاقاهُhe encountered it مُبتَهِجاrejoicing
أمسى حزيناً بما لاقاهُ مُبتَهِجا
Alas for the faraway stranger, who has
Oh what a pity for the distant stranger who
grown sorrowful over what he encountered with joy.
Has become sad by what made him happy