ولمَّا تَراءتْ كَعْبَةُ البيتِ كَعْبَةً

ولمَّا تَراءتْ كَعْبَةُ البيتِ كَعْبَةً

منَ الناسِ كَنَّتْها العُلى بأبي الفضْلِ

منَ الناسِ كَنَّتْها العُلى بأبي الفضْلِ

And when the Kaaba of the House beheld a Kaaba

When the Kaaba of the house appeared as a Kaaba

among men, eminence named it Abu al-Fadl.

Among the people, its summit was crowned by Abul Fadl

مَناسِكُها التَّأميلُ منْ غيرِ موْسِمٍ

مَناسِكُها التَّأميلُ منْ غيرِ موْسِمٍ

يُخَصُّ ولا قوْلٍ يُحَدُّ ولا فِعْلِ

يُخَصُّ ولا قوْلٍ يُحَدُّ ولا فِعْلِ

Its rites are hopeful expectation, with no season

Its rites were veneration without a set season

set apart, nor prescribed speech or deed.

That was specifically observed, or words that were limited, or deeds.

يَطوفُ بها العافونَ والمَحْلُ عارِقٌ

يَطوفُ بها العافونَ والمَحْلُ عارِقٌ

فيكْفيهُمُ إِحْسانُهُ شِرَّةَ المَحْلِ

فيكْفيهُمُ إِحْسانُهُ شِرَّةَ المَحْلِ

Seekers of bounty circle it while famine gnaws to the bone,

The purified circle it while the sanctuary remains protected.

so his beneficence spares them famine's fury.

So their benevolence suffices the evil of the sanctuary.

بكَتْ شَجْوها أمُّ القُرى غُدْوَةَ النَّوى

بكَتْ شَجْوها أمُّ القُرى غُدْوَةَ النَّوى

وأبْدَتْ أسىً إذْ لم تَدُمْ مُدَّةَ الوصْلِ

وأبْدَتْ أسىً إذْ لم تَدُمْ مُدَّةَ الوصْلِ

The Mother of Towns wept her sorrow on the morning of parting,

The mother of towns wept its longing at the dawn of departure

and revealed her grief, for the time of union did not last.

And showed grief when the duration of union did not last.

فما الظَّنُ بالأنْسِ الطَّويلِ وبَلْدَةٍ

فما الظَّنُ بالأنْسِ الطَّويلِ وبَلْدَةٍ

يجودُ بَنيها صوبُ فضْلٍ على فَضْلِ

يجودُ بَنيها صوبُ فضْلٍ على فَضْلِ

What, then, must one think of long companionship, and of a town

What then is the thought of prolonged company and a town

whose sons are drenched by a downpour of bounty upon bounty?

Whose people excel in virtue over virtue?

كأنَّ زعيمَ الدِّينِ إذْ غابَ عنهُمُ

كأنَّ زعيمَ الدِّينِ إذْ غابَ عنهُمُ

غَمامٌ تَعدَّى الهامِداتِ مع الهَطْلِ

غَمامٌ تَعدَّى الهامِداتِ مع الهَطْلِ

It was as though the champion of the faith, when he left them,

As if the leader of the faith when he was absent from them

were a cloud that passed beyond lifeless lands, taking its downpour with it.

Was a cloud that crossed the permanent sands with rain.

غَزيرُ التُّقى لا يَحْرِصُ العِزُّ دينَهُ

غَزيرُ التُّقى لا يَحْرِصُ العِزُّ دينَهُ

ولا يَتَعدَّى بأسُهُ سُنَنَ العَدْلِ

ولا يَتَعدَّى بأسُهُ سُنَنَ العَدْلِ

His piety is abundant; glory does not rend his faith,

Abundant in piety, he does not covet the glory of his religion,

nor does his might transgress the ways of justice.

Nor does his might transgress the ways of justice.