أجيدي المدح ناظمتي أجيدي

أجيدي المدح ناظمتي أجيدي

لمريم إنها بحر الحُنُوِّ

لمريم إنها بحر الحُنُوِّ

Excel in praise, my muse, excel,

My hands skilled in praise, my composer

for Mary: she is a sea of tenderness.

Of Mary for she is an ocean of tenderness

إلهٌ خصها دون البرايا

إلهٌ خصها دون البرايا

ورقَّاها إلى أوج السمو

ورقَّاها إلى أوج السمو

God singled her out from all other creatures,

A God singled her out from all creation

and raised her to the pinnacle of exaltation.

And raised her to the peak of glory

دعاها أُمَّه والأم بكرٌ

دعاها أُمَّه والأم بكرٌ

فيا للَه من هذا العلو

فيا للَه من هذا العلو

He called her his mother, and the mother was a virgin.

He called her His mother, and the virgin mother

So, by God, what exaltation this is!

What glory from the Most High!

أتى منها إلهاً جلَّ قدراً

أتى منها إلهاً جلَّ قدراً

قصيّاً حل في برج القُصُوِّ

قصيّاً حل في برج القُصُوِّ

He came from her as God, sublime in rank;

From her came a God, mighty in status

far removed, he dwelt in the tower of remoteness.

A noble one, settled in the tower of chastity

براها ثم برّاها وأبرا

براها ثم برّاها وأبرا

تُقاها التامَ من أسر العدو

تُقاها التامَ من أسر العدو

He created her, then purified her, and freed

He created her then blessed her and was kind

her perfect piety from the enemy's bondage.

Protecting her perfectly from the grip of enemies

تلت وحي الإله فأولجته

تلت وحي الإله فأولجته

مقرّاً ظاهراً ضمن التُلُوِّ

مقرّاً ظاهراً ضمن التُلُوِّ

She recited God's revelation, then ushered him

She received the revelation of God and instilled it

into a visible dwelling amid her recitation.

Openly, within reciting scripture

ولما أن رُني من عين مولىً

ولما أن رُني من عين مولىً

قدير خصَّها بعد الرنو

قدير خصَّها بعد الرنو

And when she was beheld by the eye of a Lord

And when she was graced by the eye of the Master

almighty, he singled her out after that gaze.

Who singled her out after excellence

دعاها مذ نمت بالفضل حتى

دعاها مذ نمت بالفضل حتى

رقت بنموها فوق النمو

رقت بنموها فوق النمو

He called her as she grew in grace, until

He called her since she slept in virtue until

through her growth she rose beyond growth itself.

She rose above growth in her growth

فأولدها له أمّاً وبكراً

فأولدها له أمّاً وبكراً

بناسوت عليٍّ في العلو

بناسوت عليٍّ في العلو

So he made her bear him, a mother and a virgin,

And so He gave birth to her as a mother and virgin

with a human nature exalted on high.

In the humanity of the most high ‘Ali

هي ابنة آدم الإنسان لكن

هي ابنة آدم الإنسان لكن

متى قد كان في حال السمو

متى قد كان في حال السمو

She is a daughter of Adam the man, but

She is the daughter of Adam the human but

of him as he was in a state of exaltation.

When has one been in such an elevated state?

ولم تعرف خَطاء الجدِّ أصلاً

ولم تعرف خَطاء الجدِّ أصلاً

وهذا القدس من ذاك الخلو

وهذا القدس من ذاك الخلو

And she never knew her forefather's sin at all;

And she did not know the mistakes of ancestors at all

and this holiness comes from that freedom from sin.

And this purity from that conception

دنا منها إلهٌ حل فيها

دنا منها إلهٌ حل فيها

وهذا الطهر من ذاك الدنو

وهذا الطهر من ذاك الدنو

God drew near to her and dwelt within her,

A God drew near her and settled in her

and this purity comes from that nearness.

And this purity from that impurity

بمولدها اطمأنَّ الخلق طرّاً

بمولدها اطمأنَّ الخلق طرّاً

ومن بالسجن حسوا بالهُدُوِّ

ومن بالسجن حسوا بالهُدُوِّ

At her birth, all creation found peace,

With her birth, creation was reassured

and those in prison felt calm.

And those imprisoned felt respite

بها الإيمان أضحى وهو نورٌ

بها الإيمان أضحى وهو نورٌ

ونار الكفر في طي الخبو

ونار الكفر في طي الخبو

Through her, faith dawned, and it is light,

Through her faith became light

and unbelief's fire lies folded in extinction.

And the fire of unbelief dimmed

فإني يا بتولةُ في العذارى

فإني يا بتولةُ في العذارى

نجيُّك في الرواح وفي الغدو

نجيُّك في الرواح وفي الغدو

For I, O Virgin among virgins,

For I, o maiden, will save you

am your confidant at evening and at dawn.

In spirits and in bodies

فلا أسلوك يا زين البرايا

فلا أسلوك يا زين البرايا

ولو حض العدو على السلو

ولو حض العدو على السلو

So I shall not forget you, O adornment of creation,

So I ask you, beauty of creation

even if the enemy urges me to forget.

Even if enemies incite evil

وما عرف السلوُّ طريقَ حبي

وما عرف السلوُّ طريقَ حبي

لمريم فاتركيه إلى العدو

لمريم فاتركيه إلى العدو

And forgetfulness has never known the path of my love

And evil knows not the way to my love

for Mary; so leave it to the enemy.

For Mary, so leave it to enemies

بلى إني سموت بها ولكن

بلى إني سموت بها ولكن

خَطائي قد ثناني عن سموي

خَطائي قد ثناني عن سموي

Yes, I have risen through her, but

Yes, I have risen with her but

my sin has turned me back from my ascent.

My mistakes have deterred me from my rising

صبوت إليك من صغري ولكن

صبوت إليك من صغري ولكن

صبائي اصطيدَ في شرك الصُبُوِّ

صبائي اصطيدَ في شرك الصُبُوِّ

I have yearned for you since childhood, but

I have longed for you since my youth but

my youth was caught in the snare of infatuation.

My youth was trapped in the shirk of childhood

أوَدُّ بك المتاب ولي رجاءٌ

أوَدُّ بك المتاب ولي رجاءٌ

بأنك تنجديني بالحنو

بأنك تنجديني بالحنو

I desire repentance through you, and I have hope

I want to repent and I have hope

that you will come to my aid with tenderness.

That you will help me with tenderness