عَلىpast أَيِّwhich الجِنانِthe paradises بِناwith us تَمُرُّyou pass
عَلى أَيِّ الجِنانِ بِنا تَمُرُّ
وَفيand in أَيِّwhich الحَدائِقِthe gardens تَستَقِرُّyou settle
وَفي أَيِّ الحَدائِقِ تَستَقِرُّ
Past which paradises do you carry us?
On which gardens are we passing,
And in which gardens will you come to rest?
And in which gardens are we settling?
رُوَيداًslowly أَيُّهاO الفُلكُthe ship الأَبَرُّmost kindly
رُوَيداً أَيُّها الفُلكُ الأَبَرُّ
بَلَغتَyou reached بِناwith us الرُبوعَthe abodes فَأَنتَso you are حُرُّfree
بَلَغتَ بِنا الرُبوعَ فَأَنتَ حُرُّ
Slowly, O most kindly ship!
Go slowly, O greatest ship!
You have brought us to the abodes; now you are free.
You have taken us to spacious lands, so you are free.
سَهِرتَyou kept vigil وَلَمand not تَنَمslept لِلرَكبِamong the travelers عَينُan eye
سَهِرتَ وَلَم تَنَم لِلرَكبِ عَينُ
كَأَنas though لَمnot يُضوِهِمwear them down ضَجَرٌboredom وَأَينُand fatigue
كَأَن لَم يُضوِهِم ضَجَرٌ وَأَينُ
You kept vigil, and no eye among the travelers slept,
You stayed up while the people slept
As though neither boredom nor fatigue had worn them down.
As if their boredom and where to did not bother you.
يَحُثُّspurs خُطاكَyour steps لُجٌّthe deep بَلrather لُجَينُsilver
يَحُثُّ خُطاكَ لُجٌّ بَل لُجَينُ
بَلِrather الإِبريزُpure gold بَلrather أُفقٌa horizon أَغَرُّradiant
بَلِ الإِبريزُ بَل أُفقٌ أَغَرُّ
The deep spurs your steps—rather, silver,
The sea waves urge your pace, or even two seas,
Rather, pure gold; rather, a radiant horizon.
No, it is the Ibreez, no, it is a wider horizon.
عَلىupon شِبهِthe likeness of السُهولِthe plains مِنَof المِياهِthe waters
عَلى شِبهِ السُهولِ مِنَ المِياهِ
تُحيطُsurround بِكَaround you الجَزائِرُthe islands كَالشِياهِlike sheep
تُحيطُ بِكَ الجَزائِرُ كَالشِياهِ
Over waters resembling plains,
On something like plains amidst the waters
The islands surround you like sheep,
The islands surround you like gray-haired elders,
وَأَنتَand you are لَهُنَّfor them راعٍa shepherd ذوpossessing اِنتِباهِalertness
وَأَنتَ لَهُنَّ راعٍ ذو اِنتِباهِ
تَكُرُّyou charge مَعَwith الظَلامِthe darkness وَلاand not تَفِرُّyou flee
تَكُرُّ مَعَ الظَلامِ وَلا تَفِرُّ
And you are their watchful shepherd,
And you are for them an alert, attentive shepherd
You charge with the darkness and do not flee.
Who returns with the darkness and does not flee.
يُنيفُtowers البَدرُthe full moon فَوقَكَabove you بِالهَباءِamid airborne dust
يُنيفُ البَدرُ فَوقَكَ بِالهَباءِ
رَفيعاًlofty فيin السُمُوِّheight بِلاwithout اِنتِهاءِan end
رَفيعاً في السُمُوِّ بِلا اِنتِهاءِ
The full moon towers above you amid the dusty haze,
The moon floats above you in the haze,
Lofty in boundless height.
Lofty in highness without end,
تَخالُكُماimagine you two العُيونُthe eyes إِلىtoward اِلتِقاءِa meeting
تَخالُكُما العُيونُ إِلى اِلتِقاءِ
وَدونَand before المُلتَقىthe meeting place كَونٌa universe وَدَهرُand an eternity
وَدونَ المُلتَقى كَونٌ وَدَهرُ
Eyes imagine the two of you drawing together,
Your eyes meet as if destined to unite,
Yet a universe and an eternity stand before that meeting.
While below the meeting lies the universe and time.
إِلىuntil أَنthat قيلَit was said هَذاthis الدَردَنيلُthe Dardanelles
إِلى أَن قيلَ هَذا الدَردَنيلُ
فَسِرتَso you traveled إِلَيهِtoward it وَالفَجرُand dawn الدَليلُthe guide
فَسِرتَ إِلَيهِ وَالفَجرُ الدَليلُ
Until it was said, 'These are the Dardanelles.'
Until it was said this is the Dardanelles,
So you sailed toward it, with dawn as your guide.
So you sailed to it while dawn was the guide
يُجيزُكَlets you pass وَالأَمانُand safety بِهِthrough it سَبيلُa way
يُجيزُكَ وَالأَمانُ بِهِ سَبيلُ
إِذاif هُوَit لَمnot يُجِزallows passage فَالماءُthen the water خَمرُwine
إِذا هُوَ لَم يُجِز فَالماءُ خَمرُ
It lets you through, and safety is the way through it;
That allowed you safe passage through it.
If it refuses passage, the water is wine.
For if it did not allow, the water was wine.
تَمُرُّyou pass مِنَamong المَعاقِلِthe strongholds وَالجِبالِand the mountains
تَمُرُّ مِنَ المَعاقِلِ وَالجِبالِ
بِعالٍpast a height فَوقَabove عالٍa height خَلفَbehind عاليa height
بِعالٍ فَوقَ عالٍ خَلفَ عالي
You pass among fortresses and mountains,
You pass the fortresses and mountains
Past height above height, behind another height.
With one height above another, behind a high peak,
إِذاif أَومَأنَthey signaled وَقَّفَتِbrought to a halt اللَياليthe nights
إِذا أَومَأنَ وَقَّفَتِ اللَيالي
وَتَحميand hold off الحادِثاتُcalamities فَلاso not تَمُرُّthey pass
وَتَحمي الحادِثاتُ فَلا تَمُرُّ
If they signal, they bring the nights to a halt,
Whenever it gestured, the nights would stop
And hold calamities at bay, so none may pass.
And events would protect you, so you pass unaffected.
مَدافِعُcannons بَعضَهاsome of them مُتَقابِلاتُfacing one another
مَدافِعُ بَعضَها مُتَقابِلاتُ
وَمِنهاand among them الصاعِداتُthe rising ones النازِلاتُthe descending ones
وَمِنها الصاعِداتُ النازِلاتُ
Cannons, some facing one another,
Some facing each other, artillery batteries,
And some rising, others descending;
Some ascending, some descending,
وَمِنهاand among them الظاهِراتُthe visible ones وَأُخرَياتُand others
وَمِنها الظاهِراتُ وَأُخرَياتُ
تَوارىhide فيin الصُخورِthe rocks وَتَستَسِرُّand remain concealed
تَوارى في الصُخورِ وَتَستَسِرُّ
Some stand visible, while others
Some visible, others concealed
Hide in the rocks and lie concealed.
Hidden in rocks or covered.
فَلَوso if أَنَّthat البِحارَthe seas جَرَتflowed مِئيناby the hundreds
فَلَو أَنَّ البِحارَ جَرَت مِئينا
وَكانَand were اللُجُّthe deep أَجمَعُهُall of it سَفيناships
وَكانَ اللُجُّ أَجمَعُهُ سَفينا
Were the seas to flow by the hundreds,
If only the seas had flowed two hundred folds,
And the whole deep were ships,
And if all the waves were ships,
لِتَلقىto find مَنفَذاًan outlet لَلَقينَthey would meet حَيناdoom
لِتَلقى مَنفَذاً لَلَقينَ حَينا
وَلَمّاand not yet يَمسَسِtouch البوغازَthe strait ضُرُّharm
وَلَمّا يَمسَسِ البوغازَ ضُرُّ
Seeking an outlet, they would meet their doom,
In order to meet a way out, we would have met for a while,
While no harm would yet have touched the strait.
Before reaching the strait, harm touches.
وَبَعدَand after الأَرخَبيلُthe archipelago وَماand what يَليهِfollows it
وَبَعدَ الأَرخَبيلُ وَما يَليهِ
وَتيهٍand wandering فيthrough العَيالِمِthe vast seas تيهِwandering
وَتيهٍ في العَيالِمِ تيهِ
And after the archipelago and what follows it,
After the archipelago and what follows it
And wandering through the vast seas—wandering—
And getting lost in the worlds, lost,
بَداappeared ضَوءُlight الصَباحِthe morning فَسِرتَso you traveled فيهِin it
بَدا ضَوءُ الصَباحِ فَسِرتَ فيهِ
إِلىtoward البُسفورِthe Bosphorus وَاِقتَرَبَand drew near المَقَرُّthe destination
إِلى البُسفورِ وَاِقتَرَبَ المَقَرُّ
The morning light appeared, and you sailed in it
The light of dawn appeared, so you sailed in it
Toward the Bosphorus, and the destination drew near.
To the Bosphorus, and the berth drew near.
تُسايِرُكَkeep pace with you المَدائِنُthe cities وَالأَناسيand the people
تُسايِرُكَ المَدائِنُ وَالأَناسي
وَفُلكٌand ships بَينَbetween جَوّالٍroaming وَراسيand anchored
وَفُلكٌ بَينَ جَوّالٍ وَراسي
Cities and people keep pace with you,
The cities accompany you, and the people,
And ships, some roaming, some at anchor.
A ship between sailing and anchoring,
وَتَحضُنُكَand embrace you الجَزائِرُthe islands وَالرَواسيand the steadfast mountains
وَتَحضُنُكَ الجَزائِرُ وَالرَواسي
وَتَجريand flow رِقَّةًin tenderness لَكَtoward you وَهيَthough they are صَخرُrock
وَتَجري رِقَّةً لَكَ وَهيَ صَخرُ
Islands and steadfast mountains embrace you,
And the islands and headlands embrace you,
And flow in tenderness toward you, though they are rock.
And the rocks flow gently for you, yet they are rock.
تَسيرُyou travel مِنَfrom الفَضاءِopen space إِلىinto المَضيقِthe narrows
تَسيرُ مِنَ الفَضاءِ إِلى المَضيقِ
فَآناًso at one moment أَنتَyou are فيin بَحرٍa sea طَليقِunconfined
فَآناً أَنتَ في بَحرٍ طَليقِ
You move from open space into the narrows,
You sail from the horizon to the strait,
Now you are upon an open sea,
Now you are on the open sea,
وَآوِنَةًand at times لَدىbeside مَجرىًa channel سَحيقٍdeep
وَآوِنَةً لَدى مَجرىً سَحيقٍ
كَماlike الشَلّالُthe waterfall قامَstood لَدَيهِbeside it نَهرُa river
كَما الشَلّالُ قامَ لَدَيهِ نَهرُ
And at times beside a deep channel,
And another time by a mighty valley,
Like a waterfall with a river standing beside it.
As if a waterfall stood by it, a river.
وَتَأَتيand you reach الأُفقَthe horizon تَطويهِyou fold it سِجِلّاًas a scroll
وَتَأَتي الأُفقَ تَطويهِ سِجِلّاً
لِآخَرَtoward another كَالسَرابِlike a mirage إِذاwhen أَضَلّاit leads astray
لِآخَرَ كَالسَرابِ إِذا أَضَلّا
You reach the horizon, folding it like a scroll,
And you come to the horizon, folding it like a register,
Toward another, like a mirage when it leads astray.
To another like a mirage when it strays.
إِذاwhen قُلناwe said المَنازِلُthe dwellings قيلَit was said كَلّاno
إِذا قُلنا المَنازِلُ قيلَ كَلّا
فَدونَfor before بُلوغِهاreaching them ظُهرٌnoon وَعَصرُand afternoon
فَدونَ بُلوغِها ظُهرٌ وَعَصرُ
When we say, 'The dwellings!' we are told, 'No!'
If we say the ports of call, it is said no,
Before we reach them lie noon and afternoon.
For before reaching them, there is a plain and an evening.
إِلىuntil أَنthat حَلَّsettled فيat الأَوجِthe zenith النَهارُthe day
إِلى أَن حَلَّ في الأَوجِ النَهارُ
وَلِلرائيand to the beholder تَبَيَّنَتِbecame clear الدِيارُthe dwellings
وَلِلرائي تَبَيَّنَتِ الدِيارُ
Until the day reached its zenith,
Until the daylight settled at its prime,
And the dwellings became clear to the beholder.
And to the beholder, the lands became clear.
فَقُلناso we said الشَمسُthe sun فيهاin them أَمor نُضارُgold
فَقُلنا الشَمسُ فيها أَم نُضارُ
وَياقوتٌand rubies وَمُرجانٌand coral وَدُرُّand pearls
وَياقوتٌ وَمُرجانٌ وَدُرُّ
We asked, 'Is that the sun within them, or gold,
So we said, “Is that the sun in it or blossoms?”
And rubies, coral, and pearls?'
It is ruby, coral, and pearls.
وَدِدناwe wished لَوthat مَشَيتَyou moved بِناwith us الهُوَيناslowly
وَدِدنا لَو مَشَيتَ بِنا الهُوَينا
وَأَينَand grew weary الخُلودُeternity لَدَيكَbeside you أَيناwith weariness
وَأَينَ الخُلودُ لَدَيكَ أَينا
We wished you would carry us slowly,
And we wished you would take us floating,
And eternity would weary beside you, utterly,
And where is eternity through you, where?
لِنَبهَجَso we may gladden خاطِراًa heart وَنَقَرَّand delight عَيناًan eye
لِنَبهَجَ خاطِراً وَنَقَرَّ عَيناً
بِأَحسَنِwith the finest ماwhat رَأىsaw فيat البَحرِthe sea سَفرُtravelers
بِأَحسَنِ ما رَأى في البَحرِ سَفرُ
So we might gladden the heart and delight the eye
So our spirit would delight and our eye be content
With the finest sight travelers ever saw at sea:
With the best it saw in the voyage of the sea,
بِلَوحٍwith a panel جامِعِgathering الصُّوَرِthe pictures الغَواليthe precious ones
بِلَوحٍ جامِعِ الصُّوَرِ الغَوالي
وَديوانٍand a poetry collection تَفَرَّدَwas unique بِالخَيالِin imagination
وَديوانٍ تَفَرَّدَ بِالخَيالِ
A panel gathering the most precious pictures,
With a tablet combining beautiful images,
And a volume of verse unique in imagination,
And a book singular in imagination,
وَمِرآةِand a mirror المَناظِرِthe scenes وَالمَجاليand the vistas
وَمِرآةِ المَناظِرِ وَالمَجالي
تَمُرُّpasses بِهاthrough it الطَبيعَةُNature ماas long as تَمُرُّshe passes
تَمُرُّ بِها الطَبيعَةُ ما تَمُرُّ
And a mirror of scenes and vistas,
And a mirror of scenes and spaces,
Through which Nature passes, ever passing.
Through which nature passes as it passes.
فَضاءٌan expanse مُثِّلَwas portrayed الفِردَوسُParadise فيهِin it
فَضاءٌ مُثِّلَ الفِردَوسُ فيهِ
وَمَرأَىًand a sight فيupon البِحارِthe seas بِلاwithout شَبيهِan equal
وَمَرأَىً في البِحارِ بِلا شَبيهِ
An expanse in which Paradise is portrayed,
A space exemplified as paradise in it,
And a sight upon the seas without equal.
And a sight in the seas without equal.
فَإيهٍso, speak on ياO بَناتِdaughters الشِعرِpoetry إيهِspeak on
فَإيهٍ يا بَناتِ الشِعرِ إيهِ
فَمالَكِfor you have no فيfor عُقوقِdisloyalty to الشِعرِpoetry عُذرُexcuse
فَمالَكِ في عُقوقِ الشِعرِ عُذرُ
Speak on, O daughters of poetry, speak on!
So alas, O daughters of poetry, alas!
You have no excuse for being faithless to poetry.
What is your excuse for neglecting poetry?
لِأَجلِكِfor your sake سِرتُI traveled فيacross بَرٍّland وَبَحرِand sea
لِأَجلِكِ سِرتُ في بَرٍّ وَبَحرِ
وَأَنتِand you الدَهرَalways أَنتِyou بِكُلِّin every قُطرِland
وَأَنتِ الدَهرَ أَنتِ بِكُلِّ قُطرِ
For your sake I journeyed over land and sea,
For your sake I traveled by land and sea,
And always you remain yourself in every land.
And you, for ages, you in every place
حَنَنتِyou longed إِلىfor الطَبيعَةِNature دونَbeyond مِصرِEgypt
حَنَنتِ إِلى الطَبيعَةِ دونَ مِصرِ
وَقُلتِand you said لَدىin the presence of الطَبيعَةِNature أَينَwhere is مِصرُEgypt
وَقُلتِ لَدى الطَبيعَةِ أَينَ مِصرُ
You longed for Nature beyond Egypt,
Were affectionate to nature except Egypt.
And, in Nature's presence, asked, 'Where is Egypt?'
And you said in the presence of nature, where is Egypt?
فَهَلّاthen why not هَزَّكِstirred you التِبرُthe raw gold المُذابُmolten
فَهَلّا هَزَّكِ التِبرُ المُذابُ
وَهَذاand this اللَوحُthe panel وَالقَلَمُand the pen العُجابُwondrous
وَهَذا اللَوحُ وَالقَلَمُ العُجابُ
Why did the molten gold not stir you,
Why didn't the melting lead shake you,
And this panel and the wondrous pen?
And this tablet and the wondrous pen,
وَماand no بَينيbetween me وَبَينَهُماand the two of them حِجابُveil
وَما بَيني وَبَينَهُما حِجابُ
وَلاand no دونيbefore me عَلىover الآياتِthe wonders سِترُcovering
وَلا دوني عَلى الآياتِ سِترُ
No veil stands between me and the two of them,
With no barrier between them and me,
Nor is there a screen before me over these wonders.
Nor over the signs is there any veil on me.
جِهاتٌlandscapes أَمor عَذارىmaidens حالِياتُadorned
جِهاتٌ أَم عَذارى حالِياتُ
وَماءٌand water أَمor سَماءٌsky أَمor نَباتُvegetation
وَماءٌ أَم سَماءٌ أَم نَباتُ
Are these landscapes, or adorned maidens?
Directions or virgins, seas or sky or plants?
And is it water, or sky, or greenery?
And are those islands or lamps?
وَتِلكَand those جَزائِرٌislands أَمor نَيِّراتُluminaries
وَتِلكَ جَزائِرٌ أَم نَيِّراتُ
وَكَيفَand how طُلوعُهاtheir rising وَالوَقتُwhen the time is ظُهرُnoon
وَكَيفَ طُلوعُها وَالوَقتُ ظُهرُ
And are those islands, or shining stars?
And how is their rising while the time is noon?
How can they rise when it is noon?
The horizon framed them yellow, yet they are green,
جَلاهاunveiled them الأُفقُthe horizon صُفراًyellow وَهيَthough they are خُضرُgreen
جَلاها الأُفقُ صُفراً وَهيَ خُضرُ
كَزَهرٍlike blossoms دونَهُbelow them فيin الرَوضِthe garden زَهرُblossoms
كَزَهرٍ دونَهُ في الرَوضِ زَهرُ
The horizon unveils them yellow, though they are green,
Like flowers below them in the meadow, flowers.
Like blossoms with the garden's blossoms below them.
The sea leaned towards them and coiled.
لَوىcurved نَحرٌa neck بِهاaround them وَاِلتَفَّand wound around بَحرُa sea
لَوى نَحرٌ بِها وَاِلتَفَّ بَحرُ
كَماas مَلَكَتpossessed جِهاتِthe reaches الدَوحِthe great trees غُدرُpools
كَما مَلَكَت جِهاتِ الدَوحِ غُدرُ
A neck curves around them, and a sea winds round them,
As if the sides of the basin betrayed them suddenly.
As pools possess the reaches of the great trees.
Through them mosques loom with minarets,
تَلوحُappear بِهاthere المَساجِدُthe mosques باذِخاتِtowering
تَلوحُ بِها المَساجِدُ باذِخاتِ
وَتَتَّصِلُand join together المَعاقِلُthe strongholds شامِخاتُlofty
وَتَتَّصِلُ المَعاقِلُ شامِخاتُ
Mosques loom there, towering,
And forts connect, towering,
And lofty fortresses stand linked together,
Tiered above unevenly,
طِباقاًin tiers فيin العُلىthe heights مُتَفاوِتاتِof differing heights
طِباقاً في العُلى مُتَفاوِتاتِ
سَماrose بَرٌّland بِهاthere وَاِنحَطَّand sank بَرُّland
سَما بَرٌّ بِها وَاِنحَطَّ بَرُّ
In tiers of differing heights:
The land with them sank and the land rose.
One tract of land rises there, another sinks.
And how much land beyond, above land,
وَكَمand how many أَرضٍa tract of land هُنالِكَthere فَوقَabove أَرضِa tract of land
وَكَم أَرضٍ هُنالِكَ فَوقَ أَرضِ
وَرَوضٍand a garden فَوقَabove رَوضٍa garden فَوقَabove رَوضِa garden
وَرَوضٍ فَوقَ رَوضٍ فَوقَ رَوضِ
How many a land lies there above a land,
And meadows above meadows, above meadows,
And a garden above a garden above a garden,
And houses some above others,
وَدورٍand houses بَعضُهاsome of them مِنfrom فَوقِabove بَعضِothers
وَدورٍ بَعضُها مِن فَوقِ بَعضِ
كَسَطرٍlike a line فيin الكِتابِthe book عَلاهُrose above it سَطرِa line
كَسَطرٍ في الكِتابِ عَلاهُ سَطرِ
And houses, some above others,
Like lines in a book, above them lines,
Like a line in a book with another line above it.
Lines no drawing can encompass
سُطورٌlines لاnot يُحيطُencompasses بِهِنَّthem رَسمٌa drawing
سُطورٌ لا يُحيطُ بِهِنَّ رَسمٌ
وَلاand not يُحصيcounts مَعانيهِنَّtheir meanings عِلمُknowledge
وَلا يُحصي مَعانيهِنَّ عِلمُ
Lines no drawing can encompass,
And no knowledge can count their meanings,
Whose meanings no knowledge can number.
Which if read together compose an ode,
إِذاwhen قُرِئَتare read جَميعاًall together فَهيَthen they are نَظمُverse
إِذا قُرِئَت جَميعاً فَهيَ نَظمُ
وَإِنand if قُرِئَتare read فُرادىsingly فَهيَthen they are نَثرُprose
وَإِن قُرِئَت فُرادى فَهيَ نَثرُ
Read together, they are verse;
And if read individually, compose prose.
Read singly, they are prose.
They grow more fragrant as they draw near and purify,
تَأَرَّجُexude fragrance كُلَّماwhenever اِقتَرَبَتthey draw near وَتَزكوand flourish
تَأَرَّجُ كُلَّما اِقتَرَبَت وَتَزكو
وَيَجمَعُهاand gathers them مِنَfrom الآفاقِthe horizons سِلكُa thread
وَيَجمَعُها مِنَ الآفاقِ سِلكُ
They breathe fragrance as they draw nearer, and flourish,
And a thread connects them from the horizons.
And a thread gathers them from the horizons.
They resemble what - so the palace is a ship,
تُشاكِلُresemble ماwhat بِهِis in it فَالقَصرُso the palace فُلكُa ship
تُشاكِلُ ما بِهِ فَالقَصرُ فُلكُ
عَلىat بُعدٍa distance لَناto us وَالفُلكُand the ship قَصرُa palace
عَلى بُعدٍ لَنا وَالفُلكُ قَصرُ
They resemble what lies in it: a palace is a ship
At a distance from us, and the ship a palace.
To us from afar, and a ship is a palace.
And a letter N sails below them in the sea,
وَنونٌand a nūn (ن) دونَهاbeneath it فيin البَحرِthe sea نونُa nūn (ن)
وَنونٌ دونَها في البَحرِ نونُ
مِنَfrom البُسفورِthe Bosphorus نَقَّطَهاdotted them السَفينُthe ships
مِنَ البُسفورِ نَقَّطَها السَفينُ
And a nūn, with a nūn beneath it in the sea:
Dotted by the ship from the Bosphorus.
The ships from the Bosphorus have dotted them.
As if the paths in it are springs for us,
كَأَنَّas though السُبلَthe waterways فيهِin it لَناfor us عُيونٌeyes
كَأَنَّ السُبلَ فيهِ لَنا عُيونٌ
وَإِنسانُand the passenger (pupil) السَفينَةِof the ship لاnot يَقِرُّrests
وَإِنسانُ السَفينَةِ لا يَقِرُّ
As though its waterways were eyes for us,
And the sailor does not settle.
And the ship's passenger—its human pupil—never rests.
There safety surrounded us in its shelter,
هُنالِكَthere حَفَّتِencircled النُعمىblessings خُطاناour steps
هُنالِكَ حَفَّتِ النُعمى خُطانا
وَحاطَتناand encompassed us السَلامَةُsafety فيwithin حِماناour sanctuary
وَحاطَتنا السَلامَةُ في حِمانا
There, blessings encircled our steps,
And wellbeing encircled us in its refuge.
And safety encompassed us within our sanctuary.
So we cast the anchors and settled
فَأَلقَيناso we dropped المَراسِيَthe anchors وَاِحتَواناand embraced us
فَأَلقَينا المَراسِيَ وَاِحتَوانا
بِناءٌan edifice لِلخِلافَةِof the Caliphate مُشمَخِرُّtowering
بِناءٌ لِلخِلافَةِ مُشمَخِرُّ
So we dropped our anchors, and were embraced by
In a building for the caliphate, most splendid.
A towering edifice of the Caliphate.
O you who seek the most wondrous sight,
فَياso, O مَنyou who يَطلُبِseeks المَرأىthe sight البَديعاwondrous
فَيا مَن يَطلُبِ المَرأى البَديعا
وَيَعشَقهُand loves it شَهيداًas an eyewitness أَوor سَميعاas a hearer
وَيَعشَقهُ شَهيداً أَو سَميعا
O you who seek a wondrous sight
And loves it, conscious or listening!
And love it, whether seeing it or hearing of it:
You have seen all the beauties of the world,
رَأَيتَyou have seen مَحاسِنَthe beauties الدُنياthe world جَميعاًall
رَأَيتَ مَحاسِنَ الدُنيا جَميعاً
فَهُنَّso they are الواوُthe letter wāw (و) وَالبُسفورُand the Bosphorus عَمروʿAmr
فَهُنَّ الواوُ وَالبُسفورُ عَمرو
You have seen all the beauties of the world:
For they are the Waw and the Bosphorus is Amrou.
They are the wāw, and the Bosphorus is ʿAmr.
Partial English translation: 107 of 108 Arabic lines translated.