أبنيةbuildings فياحةspacious منيرةradiant
أبنية فياحة منيرة
فيin كلevery قطرquarter منof بناهhis buildings كورهa town
في كل قطر من بناه كوره
Spacious, radiant buildings,
In every quarter of his buildings lies a town,
لملكfor a king راياتهhis banners منصورةvictorious
لملك راياته منصورة
قدindeed مدstretched حولaround الخافقينthe two horizons (east and west) سورهhis wall
قد مد حول الخافقين سوره
For a king whose banners are victorious,
Who has stretched his wall around the two horizons,
وحطand set down فوقabove زجلclamor سريرهhis throne
وحط فوق زجل سريره
لوif أدركlived to see المختارthe Chosen One أوor عصورهhis times
لو أدرك المختار أو عصوره
And set his throne above the clamor.
Had he lived to see the Chosen One or his times,
لأنزلwould have revealed الرحمنthe All-Merciful فيهabout him سورهa surah
لأنزل الرحمن فيه سوره
أوor نطقتspoke أبنيةbuildings معمورهinhabited
أو نطقت أبنية معموره
The All-Merciful would have revealed a surah about him.
Or had inhabited buildings spoken,
لانطقwould have made speak اللهGod لهfor him قصورهhis palaces
لانطق الله له قصوره
وقلنand they would have said أقوالاsayings لهin his praise مأثورهhanded down
وقلن أقوالا له مأثوره
God would have made his palaces speak for him,
And they would have uttered memorable words in his praise:
لاmay ... never أفقدdeprive اللَهGod العليthe Most High دورهhis dwellings
لا أفقد اللَه العلي دوره
بهاءهhis splendor وضوءهand his brightness ونورهand his light
بهاءه وضوءه ونوره
“May God Most High never deprive his dwellings
Of his splendor, his brightness, and his light.”