ومَنزلٍ يَتحامى أهلَه الخَفَرُ

ومَنزلٍ يَتحامى أهلَه الخَفَرُ

ويَفْضُلُ البَدْوَ في نَعمائِهِ الحَضَرُ

ويَفْضُلُ البَدْوَ في نَعمائِهِ الحَضَرُ

And a dwelling whose inhabitants modesty shuns,

A home whose dwellers are guarded by modesty,

And in its comforts, townsfolk surpass the desert folk.

Yet the Bedouins exceed its bounty and prosperity.

فيه معَ الناسِ أشباهٌ لهم بَعُدَتْ

فيه معَ الناسِ أشباهٌ لهم بَعُدَتْ

في الزِّيِّ عنهنَّ إنْ لم تَبعُدِ الصُّوَرُ

في الزِّيِّ عنهنَّ إنْ لم تَبعُدِ الصُّوَرُ

There, alongside the people, are likenesses of them, differing

Among its people are their likes who became estranged,

From them in dress, though not in form.

In dress, though not in form should they keep apart.

فَمِنْ ذكورٍ عُراةٍ كالذُّكورِ به

فَمِنْ ذكورٍ عُراةٍ كالذُّكورِ به

ومن إناثٍ عليها الوَشْيُ والحِبَرُ

ومن إناثٍ عليها الوَشْيُ والحِبَرُ

Thus some are naked males, like the males within it,

Some bare males as vigorous as the males within it,

And some are females wearing embroidered cloth and striped fabrics.

And some females dressed in patterned gowns.

بَدائِعٌ لَطُفَتْ أفكارُ مُبْدِعِها

بَدائِعٌ لَطُفَتْ أفكارُ مُبْدِعِها

حتّى تَفجَّرَ عن ماءٍ بها الحَجَرُ

حتّى تَفجَّرَ عن ماءٍ بها الحَجَرُ

Marvels—so subtle were their creator’s designs

Marvels gentled the minds of their creator,

That through them stone burst open to release water.

Until from the water within it burst forth the rock.

فكلُّ ناحيةٍ من جُدْرِه صَنَمٌ

فكلُّ ناحيةٍ من جُدْرِه صَنَمٌ

وكلُّ ناحيةٍ من سَقْفِه قَمَرُ

وكلُّ ناحيةٍ من سَقْفِه قَمَرُ

So every part of its walls is an idol,

Each of its walls is an idol,

And every part of its ceiling is a moon.

Each of its ceilings a moon.

صَفَتْ عن الناسِ فيه نَعْمَةٌ وُصِفَتْ

صَفَتْ عن الناسِ فيه نَعْمَةٌ وُصِفَتْ

فكلُّ صَفْوِ نَعيمٍ عندَها كدَرُ

فكلُّ صَفْوِ نَعيمٍ عندَها كدَرُ

There, the delight described is pure, apart from people;

Secluded from the people within it is bounty described,

So beside it, all pure bliss is murk.

For every sweet comfort to it seems bitter.