رَأَينا عَطاياكَ الكَريمَةَ ما لَها

رَأَينا عَطاياكَ الكَريمَةَ ما لَها

نِظامٌ فَخِفنا مِنكَ أَن تَتَبَدَّدا

نِظامٌ فَخِفنا مِنكَ أَن تَتَبَدَّدا

We saw that your generous gifts had no

We saw your generous gifts, chaotic as they were,

string; so we feared they would scatter from you.

And feared that they might soon scatter and fade.

فَجِئتُ إِلى أَبوابِ مُلكِكَ مُشعِراً

فَجِئتُ إِلى أَبوابِ مُلكِكَ مُشعِراً

بِأَنّي إِلَيها قَد اَتَيتُ مُقَلِّدا

بِأَنّي إِلَيها قَد اَتَيتُ مُقَلِّدا

So I came to the gates of your kingdom, making known

So I came to the gates of your kingdom, announcing

that I had come to them as a bestower of necklaces.

That I had arrived, following in devotion.

فَضَنّوا عَلى المُلوكِ بِالإِذنِ كُلُّهُم

فَضَنّوا عَلى المُلوكِ بِالإِذنِ كُلُّهُم

وَلَو أَدخَلوني اليَومَ أَدخَلتُهُم غَدا

وَلَو أَدخَلوني اليَومَ أَدخَلتُهُم غَدا

So all of them denied kings permission to enter.

The kings were all stingy in granting permission,

And if they admitted me today, I would admit them tomorrow.

And though they’d let me in today, I’d welcome them tomorrow.

وَمِن خَلفِ تِلكَ الحُجبِ نورُ بِشاشَةٍ

وَمِن خَلفِ تِلكَ الحُجبِ نورُ بِشاشَةٍ

وَقَد آنَسَت عَيني على نورِها الهُدى

وَقَد آنَسَت عَيني على نورِها الهُدى

And from behind those veils comes the light of a welcoming smile,

Behind those veils lies a radiant light,

and by its light my eye has discerned guidance.

My eyes have glimpsed its guiding glow.

وَوَاللَهِ لا أَسمى قُدومِيَ مَورِداً

وَوَاللَهِ لا أَسمى قُدومِيَ مَورِداً

عَلَيكَ بَلى أُسميهِ بِالحَقِّ مَولِدا

عَلَيكَ بَلى أُسميهِ بِالحَقِّ مَولِدا

And by God, I do not call my coming an arrival

By God, my arrival is no mere destination,

to you; rather, I truly call it a birth.

But a true birth, and that is the honest truth.