إِيابٌa homecoming كَماjust as آبَreturned الحُسامُthe keen sword إِلىto الغِمدِthe sheath
إِيابٌ كَما آبَ الحُسامُ إِلى الغِمدِ
وَعَودٌand a return كَماjust as عادَrevisited النَدىthe dew وَرَقَpetals of الوَردِthe rose
وَعَودٌ كَما عادَ النَدى وَرَقَ الوَردِ
A homecoming, as the keen sword returns to its sheath,
And a return, as dew revisits the rose's petals;
كَعَودِlike the return of الحَياrain لِلرَوضِto the garden وَالرَيِّand quenching لِلصَدىfor thirst
كَعَودِ الحَيا لِلرَوضِ وَالرَيِّ لِلصَدى
وَروحِand the solace of الرِضاcontentment لِلسُخطِfor displeasure وَالنُجحِand fulfillment لِلوَعدِfor the promise
وَروحِ الرِضا لِلسُخطِ وَالنُجحِ لِلوَعدِ
Like rain's return to the garden, and quenching for thirst,
And the solace of contentment for displeasure, and fulfillment for a promise,
وَبَدرِand the full moon of الدُجىnight's darkness للأُفقto the horizon وَالمَنِّand bounty للِمُنىfor wishes
وَبَدرِ الدُجى للأُفق وَالمَنِّ للِمُنى
وَعُتبىand renewed favor الهَوىlove للصَبِّfor the lovesick lover وَالوَصلِand union لِلصَدِّin place of rejection
وَعُتبى الهَوى للصَبِّ وَالوَصلِ لِلصَدِّ
And night's full moon to the horizon, and bounty for wishes,
And love's renewed favor for the lovesick, and union in place of rejection.
وَإِنand if تَنثُرِscatter الأَيّامُthe days عِقدَa necklace of تَأَلُّفٍfellowship
وَإِن تَنثُرِ الأَيّامُ عِقدَ تَأَلُّفٍ
فَرُبَّthen many a اِنتِثارٍscattering كانَwas أَنظَمَbetter at stringing لِلعِقدِfor the necklace
فَرُبَّ اِنتِثارٍ كانَ أَنظَمَ لِلعِقدِ
And if the days scatter a necklace of fellowship,
Then many a scattering has left the necklace better strung.
تَحَوَّلَhas changed ذاكَthat الحالُstate وَاِنصَرَفَand departed الأَسىsorrow
تَحَوَّلَ ذاكَ الحالُ وَاِنصَرَفَ الأَسى
فَمِنso from زَمَنٍa time وَغدٍwretched إِلىto زَمَنٍa time رَغدِpleasant
فَمِن زَمَنٍ وَغدٍ إِلى زَمَنٍ رَغدِ
That state has changed, and sorrow has departed:
So, from a wretched time to a time of ease.