تقولsays دمشقDamascus إذas تفاخرvies in glory with غيرهاothers besides her
تقول دمشق إذ تفاخر غيرها
بجامعهاwith her mosque الزاهيradiant البديعwondrous المشيدloftily built
بجامعها الزاهي البديع المشيد
Damascus says, as she vies in glory with others,
Damascus boasts when others boast
with her radiant, wondrous, lofty mosque:
Of its splendid, unique mosque
جرىraced لتناهيto attain the perfection of حسنهits beauty كلevery جامعmosque
جرى لتناهي حسنه كل جامع
وماand not قصباتreeds السبقvictory إلاexcept لمعبدfor a sanctuary
وما قصبات السبق إلا لمعبد
Every mosque has raced to bring its beauty to perfection,
Every mosque aspires to its utmost beauty
yet the reeds of victory belong to this sanctuary alone.
And minarets only compete for a shrine