رعاكmay it guard you ضمانُprotection اللّهGod ماas long as أظْلمgrew dark الدجىthe darkness of night
رعاك ضمانُ اللّه ما أظْلم الدجى
بهيماًpitch-black وماand as long as ابيضَّتْgrew white وجوهُfaces المطالعِthe rising places
بهيماً وما ابيضَّتْ وجوهُ المطالعِ
May God's protection guard you as long as the night grows dark,
May God protect you as long as night's gloom darkens,
pitch-black, and as long as the faces of the horizons whiten;
And faces of dawns whiten, and fragrance of benefactors lingers,
وماand as long as طابwas sweet ذكرُremembrance المحسنينthe benefactors وماand as long as جرىflowed الthe
وما طاب ذكرُ المحسنين وما جرى ال
نَّسيمُbreeze بأرجاءِacross the expanses of المُروتِthe barren plains البلاقعِthe desolate ones
نَّسيمُ بأرجاءِ المُروتِ البلاقعِ
and as long as remembrance of benefactors is sweet, and as long as the
And breeze blows through expanses of meadows.
breeze flows across the desolate, barren plains.
My heart and pride in you, both
فقلبيَfor my heart والعَلْياءُand lofty glory فيكَfor you كِلاهُماboth of them
فقلبيَ والعَلْياءُ فيكَ كِلاهُما
ذواboth possessing صَبْوةٍlonging سلوانُهاrelief from it غيرُnot واقعِoccurring
ذوا صَبْوةٍ سلوانُها غيرُ واقعِ
For my heart and lofty glory alike, for you,
Are filled with fervor not yet actualized.
bear a longing from which no relief will come.
You illuminated events as if they were
أضاءتgrew radiant بكthrough you الأحداثُthe events حتىuntil كأنهاas though they were
أضاءت بك الأحداثُ حتى كأنها
بَشائرُglad tidings فيin ألْحاظِناour eyes والمَسامعِand the ears
بَشائرُ في ألْحاظِنا والمَسامعِ
Events have grown radiant through you, until they seem
Tidings before our eyes and ears,
glad tidings to our eyes and ears.
And you made days beautiful as if they were
وطابتْand grew sweet بكthrough you الأيامُthe days حتىuntil كأنهاas though they were
وطابتْ بك الأيامُ حتى كأنها
اِيابُreturn شبابٍyouth أوor وصالُreunion مُقاطعِone who has severed ties
اِيابُ شبابٍ أو وصالُ مُقاطعِ
And the days have grown sweet through you, until they seem
Return of youth or reunion after separation.
the return of youth, or reunion with one who had severed ties.
We granted people nights of your glorious deeds,
وهَبْناand we gave لياليnights of الناسhumankind منكَfrom you لماجِدٍto a noble man
وهَبْنا ليالي الناس منكَ لماجِدٍ
رفيعlofty عِمادِpillar of البيتِthe house جَمِّabundant in الصَّنائعthe benefactions
رفيع عِمادِ البيتِ جَمِّ الصَّنائع
And we have given mankind's nights to a noble man in you,
The lofty pillars of the magnificent house of crafts.
whose house's pillar is lofty and whose benefactions are many;
The most wondrous protector of refugees as if he were
لأْروعَto an awe-inspiring man محْميِّprotected النَّزيلِthe guest كأنهas though he were
لأْروعَ محْميِّ النَّزيلِ كأنه
إِلىtoward النصرvictory مرُّrush العاصفاتِthe storm-winds الزعازعِthe violent ones
إِلى النصر مرُّ العاصفاتِ الزعازعِ
to an awe-inspiring man whose guest is protected, as though he were
Raging storms marching to victory.
the rush of violent storm-winds toward victory:
Patience like steadfast mountains,
أناةٌdeliberation كعاديِّlike the age-old الجِبالِthe mountains رَزينَةٌsteady
أناةٌ كعاديِّ الجِبالِ رَزينَةٌ
وفتْكٌand deadly assault كأطرافlike the tips of الرِّماحِthe spears الشوارعthe leveled ones
وفتْكٌ كأطراف الرِّماحِ الشوارع
deliberation, steady as age-old mountains,
And devastation like tips of sharpened spears.
and deadly assault, like the tips of leveled spears.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.