وَرَدَ الكِنانَةَ عَبقَرِيُّ زَمانِهِ

وَرَدَ الكِنانَةَ عَبقَرِيُّ زَمانِهِ

فَتَنَظَّري يا مِصرُ سِحرَ بَيانِهِ

فَتَنَظَّري يا مِصرُ سِحرَ بَيانِهِ

The genius of his age has come to Egypt, the Quiver.

The genius of his time alighted, Kindanah,

So behold, O Egypt, the magic of his eloquence.

So gaze, Egypt, at the magic of his eloquence,

وَأَتى الحُسانُ فَهَنِّئوا مُلكَ النُهى

وَأَتى الحُسانُ فَهَنِّئوا مُلكَ النُهى

بِقِيامِ دَولَتِهِ وَعَودِ حُسانِهِ

بِقِيامِ دَولَتِهِ وَعَودِ حُسانِهِ

And the fair poet has come; congratulate the realm of reason

And al-Husn came, so congratulate the king of virtues,

On the rise of its reign and the return of its Hassan.

On the rise of his state and the return of his beauty,

النيلُ قَد أَلقى إِلَيهِ بِسَمعِهِ

النيلُ قَد أَلقى إِلَيهِ بِسَمعِهِ

وَالماءُ أَمسَكَ فيهِ عَن جَرَيانِهِ

وَالماءُ أَمسَكَ فيهِ عَن جَرَيانِهِ

The Nile has lent him its ear,

The Nile turned its hearing to him,

And the water within it has ceased its flow.

And the water held back its flow for him,

وَالزَهرُ مُصغٍ وَالخَمائِلُ خُشَّعٌ

وَالزَهرُ مُصغٍ وَالخَمائِلُ خُشَّعٌ

وَالطَيرُ مُستَمِعٌ عَلى أَفنانِهِ

وَالطَيرُ مُستَمِعٌ عَلى أَفنانِهِ

And the flowers listen, and the groves bow low,

The flowers listen rapt and the gazelles stand in awe,

And the birds listen upon its boughs.

And the birds, perched on their twigs, pay heed,

وَالقُطرُ في شَوقٍ لِأَندَلُسِيَّةٍ

وَالقُطرُ في شَوقٍ لِأَندَلُسِيَّةٍ

شَوقِيَّةٍ تَشفيهِ مِن أَشجانِهِ

شَوقِيَّةٍ تَشفيهِ مِن أَشجانِهِ

And the land longs for an Andalusian ode,

The rain clouds yearn for an Andalusian melody,

One by Shawqi, to heal it of its sorrows.

A melody that quenches its burning thirst,

يُصغي لِأَحمَدَ إِن شَدا مُتَرَنِّماً

يُصغي لِأَحمَدَ إِن شَدا مُتَرَنِّماً

إِصغاءَ أُمَّةِ أَحمَدٍ لِأَذانِهِ

إِصغاءَ أُمَّةِ أَحمَدٍ لِأَذانِهِ

It listens to Ahmad when he sings melodiously,

If Ahmed sings, listen like the community of Ahmed,

As Ahmad's nation listens to his call to prayer.

Turns its ears to his call to prayer,

فَاِصدَح وَغَنِّ النيلَ وَاِهزُز عِطفَهُ

فَاِصدَح وَغَنِّ النيلَ وَاِهزُز عِطفَهُ

يَكفيهِ ما عاناهُ مِن أَحزانِهِ

يَكفيهِ ما عاناهُ مِن أَحزانِهِ

So sing out, sing to the Nile, and stir its flank;

So speak up and sing to the Nile and stir its compassion,

The sorrows it has endured are enough for it.

It has suffered enough melancholy,

وَاِذكُر لَنا الحَمراءَ كَيفَ رَأَيتَها

وَاِذكُر لَنا الحَمراءَ كَيفَ رَأَيتَها

وَالقَصرَ ماذا كانَ مِن بُنيانِهِ

وَالقَصرَ ماذا كانَ مِن بُنيانِهِ

And tell us of the Alhambra—how you saw it,

And relate to us of al-Hamra what you saw,

And the palace—what had become of its structure;

And of the palace what was its structure,

ماذا تَحَطَّمَ مِن ذُراهُ وَما الَّذي

ماذا تَحَطَّمَ مِن ذُراهُ وَما الَّذي

أَبقَت صُروفُ الدَهرِ مِن أَركانِهِ

أَبقَت صُروفُ الدَهرِ مِن أَركانِهِ

What of its summits was shattered, and what

What of its dwellings is now in ruins and what

Time's vicissitudes had left of its pillars.

Has time's vicissitudes left of its pillars?

واهاً عَلَيهِ وَأَهلِهِ وَبُناتِهِ

واهاً عَلَيهِ وَأَهلِهِ وَبُناتِهِ

أَيّامَ كانَ النَجمُ مِن سُكّانِهِ

أَيّامَ كانَ النَجمُ مِن سُكّانِهِ

Alas for it, and its people, and its builders,

Alas for it and its people and daughters,

In days when the star was one of its dwellers!

When it was inhabited by the celestial bodies,

إِذ مُلكُ أَندَلُسٍ عَريضٌ جاهُهُ

إِذ مُلكُ أَندَلُسٍ عَريضٌ جاهُهُ

وَشَبابُهُ المَبكِيُّ في رَيعانِهِ

وَشَبابُهُ المَبكِيُّ في رَيعانِهِ

When Andalusia's realm had vast prestige,

When the kingdom of Andalus had widespread glory,

And its lamented youth was in its prime.

And its flourishing youth was at its prime,

الفَتحُ وَالعُمرانُ آيَةُ عَهدِهِ

الفَتحُ وَالعُمرانُ آيَةُ عَهدِهِ

وَكَتائِبُ الأَقدارِ مِن أَعوانِهِ

وَكَتائِبُ الأَقدارِ مِن أَعوانِهِ

Conquest and civilization were the sign of its reign,

Conquest and prosperity were signs of its era,

And fate's battalions were among its allies.

And the regiments of fate were its assistants,

لَبِسَت بِهِ الدُنيا لِباسَ حَضارَةٍ

لَبِسَت بِهِ الدُنيا لِباسَ حَضارَةٍ

قَد كانَ يَخلَعُهُ عَلى جيرانِهِ

قَد كانَ يَخلَعُهُ عَلى جيرانِهِ

Through it, the world donned the garb of civilization,

The world wore by it the garb of civilization,

Which it used to bestow upon its neighbors.

Which it would cast off onto its neighbors,

زالَت بَشاشَتُهُ وَزالَ وَأَقفَرَت

زالَت بَشاشَتُهُ وَزالَ وَأَقفَرَت

مِن أُنسِهِ الدُنيا وَمِن إِنسانِهِ

مِن أُنسِهِ الدُنيا وَمِن إِنسانِهِ

Its cheer vanished; it vanished, and desolate became

Its joy faded and its intimacy was lost,

The world, bereft of its companionship and its people.

And the world was emptied of its human presence,

وَطَوى الثَرى سِرَّ الزَوالِ فَيا تُرى

وَطَوى الثَرى سِرَّ الزَوالِ فَيا تُرى

هَل ضاقَ صَدرُ الأَرضِ عَن كِتمانِهِ

هَل ضاقَ صَدرُ الأَرضِ عَن كِتمانِهِ

And the dust folded away the secret of its fall—so I wonder:

And the earth folded the secret of its decay,

Did earth's breast grow too narrow to conceal it?

Did the earth's chest become too narrow to conceal it?

فَتَكَلَّمَت تِلكَ الطُلولُ وَأَفصَحَت

فَتَكَلَّمَت تِلكَ الطُلولُ وَأَفصَحَت

لَمّا وَقَفتَ مُسائِلاً عَن شانِهِ

لَمّا وَقَفتَ مُسائِلاً عَن شانِهِ

So those ruins spoke and told their tale plainly

Those hills spoke and became eloquent,

When you stood inquiring about its condition.

When you stood questioning their condition,

وَلَعَلَّ نَكبَتَهُ هُناكَ تَفَرُّقٌ

وَلَعَلَّ نَكبَتَهُ هُناكَ تَفَرُّقٌ

وَتَعَدُّدٌ قَد كانَ في تيجانِهِ

وَتَعَدُّدٌ قَد كانَ في تيجانِهِ

And perhaps its calamity there was disunity

And perhaps dispersal and disunity over there,

And the many crowns it once possessed.

Were what had been among its crowns,

عِبَرٌ رَأَيناها عَلى أَيّامِنا

عِبَرٌ رَأَيناها عَلى أَيّامِنا

قَد هَوَّنَت ما نابَهُ في آنِهِ

قَد هَوَّنَت ما نابَهُ في آنِهِ

Lessons we witnessed in our own days

Lessons we saw in our own days,

Have made what befell it in its time seem slight.

Which made light of what had afflicted it back then,

وَحَوادِثٌ في الكَونِ إِثرَ حَوادِثٍ

وَحَوادِثٌ في الكَونِ إِثرَ حَوادِثٍ

جاءَت مُشَمَّرَةً لِهَدِّ كِيانِهِ

جاءَت مُشَمَّرَةً لِهَدِّ كِيانِهِ

And calamities in the world, calamity after calamity,

And successive events in existence,

Came with robes tucked up to demolish its being.

Came resolved to destroy its edifice,

سُبحانَ جَبّارِ السَمَواتِ العُلا

سُبحانَ جَبّارِ السَمَواتِ العُلا

وَمُقَلِّبِ الأَكوانِ في أَكوانِهِ

وَمُقَلِّبِ الأَكوانِ في أَكوانِهِ

Glory to the Almighty of the highest heavens,

Glory to the Almighty of the Highest Heaven,

And the changer of worlds within His worlds!

Turner of the cycles of being in their cycles,

أَهلاً بِشَمسِ المَشرِقَينِ وَمَرحَباً

أَهلاً بِشَمسِ المَشرِقَينِ وَمَرحَباً

بِالأَبلَجِ المَرجُوِّ مِن إِخوانِهِ

بِالأَبلَجِ المَرجُوِّ مِن إِخوانِهِ

Welcome to the sun of the two Easts, and welcome

Hello O sun of the two dawning places, and welcome,

To the radiant one in whom his brethren place their hopes.

O radiant light hoped for from his brothers,

أَشكو إِلَيكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَزُمرَةٍ

أَشكو إِلَيكَ مِنَ الزَمانِ وَزُمرَةٍ

جَرَحَت فُؤادَ الشِعرِ في أَعيانِهِ

جَرَحَت فُؤادَ الشِعرِ في أَعيانِهِ

I complain to you of the times and of a band

I complain to you of time and a horde,

That wounded poetry's heart in its foremost men.

That has wounded the heart of poetry in its notables,

كَم خارِجٍ عَن أُفقِهِ حَصَبَ الوَرى

كَم خارِجٍ عَن أُفقِهِ حَصَبَ الوَرى

بِقَريضِهِ وَالعُجبُ مِلءُ جَنانِهِ

بِقَريضِهِ وَالعُجبُ مِلءُ جَنانِهِ

How many a stranger to its sphere has pelted mankind

How many strays beyond his bounds the people censure,

With his verse, conceit filling his heart!

With his poetry, and wonder fills his mind,

يَختالُ بَينَ الناسِ مُتَّئِدَ الخُطا

يَختالُ بَينَ الناسِ مُتَّئِدَ الخُطا

ريحُ الغُرورِ تَهُبُّ مِن أَردانِهِ

ريحُ الغُرورِ تَهُبُّ مِن أَردانِهِ

He struts among the people with unhurried steps;

He struts among the people, trailing his train,

The wind of arrogance blows from his sleeves.

The winds of arrogance blow from his cloak,

كَم صَكَّ مَسمَعَنا بِجَندَلِ لَفظِهِ

كَم صَكَّ مَسمَعَنا بِجَندَلِ لَفظِهِ

وَأَطالَ مِحنَتَنا بِطولِ لِسانِهِ

وَأَطالَ مِحنَتَنا بِطولِ لِسانِهِ

How often he battered our ears with the rocks of his words,

How he has deafened our hearing with his insignificant verse,

And prolonged our ordeal with his long tongue!

And prolonged our torment with his lengthy tongue,

مازالَ يُعلِنُ بَينَنا عَن نَفسِهِ

مازالَ يُعلِنُ بَينَنا عَن نَفسِهِ

حَتّى اِستَغاثَ الصُمُّ مِن إِعلانِهِ

حَتّى اِستَغاثَ الصُمُّ مِن إِعلانِهِ

He kept proclaiming himself among us,

He continues to proclaim himself among us,

Till the deaf cried for help against his proclamations.

Till the deaf have implored an end to his proclamation,

نَصَحَ الهُداةُ لَهُم فَزادَ غُرورُهُم

نَصَحَ الهُداةُ لَهُم فَزادَ غُرورُهُم

وَاِشتَدَّ ذاكَ السَيلُ في طُغيانِهِ

وَاِشتَدَّ ذاكَ السَيلُ في طُغيانِهِ

The guides counseled them, but their arrogance grew,

The rightly-guided counselled them in vain, so their arrogance intensified,

And that flood grew fiercer in its overflow.

And the torrent of their tyranny swelled,

أَوَ لَم تَرَ الفُرقانَ وَهوَ مُفَصَّلٌ

أَوَ لَم تَرَ الفُرقانَ وَهوَ مُفَصَّلٌ

لَم يَلفِتِ البوذِيَّ عَن أَوثانِهِ

لَم يَلفِتِ البوذِيَّ عَن أَوثانِهِ

Have you not seen the Qur'an, though fully expounded,

Have you not seen the Criterion, clear in its separation,

Fail to turn the Buddhist away from his idols?

To which the Buddhist pays no heed in his idolatry?

قُل لِلَّذي قَد قامَ يَشأو أَحمَداً

قُل لِلَّذي قَد قامَ يَشأو أَحمَداً

خَلِّ القَريضَ فَلَستَ مِن فُرسانِهِ

خَلِّ القَريضَ فَلَستَ مِن فُرسانِهِ

Tell the man who has risen to outstrip Ahmad:

Tell the one who presumptuously maligns Ahmed:

Leave verse alone; you are not one of its knights.

"Leave poetry, for you are no knight of his."

الشِعرُ في أَوزانِهِ لَو قِستَهُ

الشِعرُ في أَوزانِهِ لَو قِستَهُ

لَظَلَمتَهُ بِالدُرِّ في ميزانِهِ

لَظَلَمتَهُ بِالدُرِّ في ميزانِهِ

If you weighed the poetry in his meters,

Poetry by its metrics, were it to be weighed,

You would wrong it with pearls upon his scales.

Would eclipse it with pearls on the scale,

هَذا اِمرُؤٌ قَد جاءَ قَبلَ أَوانِهِ

هَذا اِمرُؤٌ قَد جاءَ قَبلَ أَوانِهِ

اِن لَم يَكُن قَد جاءَ بَعدَ أَوانِهِ

اِن لَم يَكُن قَد جاءَ بَعدَ أَوانِهِ

This is a man who came before his time,

This is a man who came before his time,

If he did not come after his time.

If he had not come after his time,

إِن قالَ شِعراً أَو تَسَنَّمَ مِنبَراً

إِن قالَ شِعراً أَو تَسَنَّمَ مِنبَراً

فَتَعَوُّذاً بِاللَهِ مِن شَيطانِهِ

فَتَعَوُّذاً بِاللَهِ مِن شَيطانِهِ

If he speaks verse or mounts a pulpit,

If he says poetry or mounts the pulpit,

Then seek refuge in God from his demon.

Then seek refuge in God from his devil,

تَخِذَ الخَيالَ لَهُ بُراقاً فَاِعتَلى

تَخِذَ الخَيالَ لَهُ بُراقاً فَاِعتَلى

فَوقَ السُها يَستَنُّ في طَيَرانِهِ

فَوقَ السُها يَستَنُّ في طَيَرانِهِ

He took imagination as his Buraq and soared

He makes fantasy his steed and gallops,

Above Suha, galloping in his flight.

High above the clouds, scanning the sky arrogantly,

ما كانَ يَأمَنُ عَثرَةً لَو لَم يَكُن

ما كانَ يَأمَنُ عَثرَةً لَو لَم يَكُن

روحُ الحَقيقَةِ مُمسِكاً بِعِنانِهِ

روحُ الحَقيقَةِ مُمسِكاً بِعِنانِهِ

He would not have been safe from a stumble, had not

He would not be safe from a stumble had not

The spirit of truth been holding his reins.

The spirit of truth held his reins,

فَأَتى بِما لَم يَأتِهِ مُتَقَدِّمٌ

فَأَتى بِما لَم يَأتِهِ مُتَقَدِّمٌ

أَو تَطمَعُ الأَذهانُ في إِتيانِهِ

أَو تَطمَعُ الأَذهانُ في إِتيانِهِ

Thus he brought what no predecessor had brought,

So he came with what no predecessor had come with,

Nor minds even hope to achieve.

Nor could minds aspire to bring the like,

هَل لِلخَيالِ وَلِلحَقيقَةِ مَنهَلٌ

هَل لِلخَيالِ وَلِلحَقيقَةِ مَنهَلٌ

لَم يَبغِهِ الرُوّادُ في ديوانِهِ

لَم يَبغِهِ الرُوّادُ في ديوانِهِ

Is there a wellspring for imagination and truth

Does fantasy and reality have a spring,

That seekers have not sought in his collected verse?

Unsought by the visitors in his diwan?

إِنّا لَنَلهو إِذ نَجِدُّ وَإِنَّهُ

إِنّا لَنَلهو إِذ نَجِدُّ وَإِنَّهُ

لَيَجِدُّ إِذ يَلهو بِنَظمِ جُمانِهِ

لَيَجِدُّ إِذ يَلهو بِنَظمِ جُمانِهِ

We truly play when we are earnest, while he

We are entertained when we are serious, and he,

Is truly earnest when he plays at stringing his pearls.

Is serious when he playfully composes poetry,

أَقلامُهُ لَو شاءَ شَكَّ قَصيرُها

أَقلامُهُ لَو شاءَ شَكَّ قَصيرُها

هامَ الثُرَيّا وَالسُها بِسِنانِهِ

هامَ الثُرَيّا وَالسُها بِسِنانِهِ

His pens—if he wished, the shortest would pierce

His pens, if he wished, their nibs would pierce,

The heads of the Pleiades and Suha with its spearpoint.

The Pleiades and Suhail with their points,

يُملي عَلَيها عَقلُهُ وَجَنانُهُ

يُملي عَلَيها عَقلُهُ وَجَنانُهُ

ما لَيسَ يُنكِرُهُ هَوى وِجدانِهِ

ما لَيسَ يُنكِرُهُ هَوى وِجدانِهِ

His mind and heart dictate to them

His mind and heart dictate to them,

What the passion of his soul does not disown.

What no passion or deep affection would deny,

بَسلٌ عَلى شُعَرائِنا أَن يَنطِقوا

بَسلٌ عَلى شُعَرائِنا أَن يَنطِقوا

قَبلَ المُثولِ لَدَيهِ وَاِستِئذانِهِ

قَبلَ المُثولِ لَدَيهِ وَاِستِئذانِهِ

Our poets are forbidden to speak

It behooves our poets to remain silent,

Before appearing before him and asking his leave.

Before appearing before him and seeking permission,

عافَ القَديمَ وَقَد كَسَتهُ يَدُ البِلى

عافَ القَديمَ وَقَد كَسَتهُ يَدُ البِلى

خَلَقَ الأَديمِ فَهانَ في خُلقانِهِ

خَلَقَ الأَديمِ فَهانَ في خُلقانِهِ

He shunned the old, which decay's hand had clothed

He brought new life to the ancient worn by decrepitude,

In worn-out leather, leaving it abased in its rags.

And created the eternal so the ephemeral seemed lowly by it,

وَأَبى الجَديدَ وَقَد تَأَنَّقَ أَهلُهُ

وَأَبى الجَديدَ وَقَد تَأَنَّقَ أَهلُهُ

في الرَقشِ حَتّى غَرَّ في أَلوانِهِ

في الرَقشِ حَتّى غَرَّ في أَلوانِهِ

And rejected the new, whose followers had lavished care

And he refused the new though its proponents indulged,

On ornament, till it beguiled with its colors.

In ornateness until they were deluded by its hues,

فَجَديدُهُ بَعَثَ القَديمَ مِنَ البِلى

فَجَديدُهُ بَعَثَ القَديمَ مِنَ البِلى

وَأَعادَ سُؤدُدَهُ إِلى إِبّانِهِ

وَأَعادَ سُؤدُدَهُ إِلى إِبّانِهِ

His new verse thus raised the old from decay

So his novelty revived the ancient from decay,

And restored its glory to its prime.

And restored its pillars to their prime,

وَرَمى جَديدَهُمُ فَخَرَّ بِناؤُهُ

وَرَمى جَديدَهُمُ فَخَرَّ بِناؤُهُ

بِرُواءِ زُخرُفِهِ وَبَرقِ دِهانِهِ

بِرُواءِ زُخرُفِهِ وَبَرقِ دِهانِهِ

And he struck their new verse, and its structure collapsed,

And he threw their novelty so its edifice collapsed,

With its splendid ornament and gleaming paint.

By the traffickers' tricks and the paintings' flash,

شُعَراءُ نَفحِ الطيبِ أَنشَرَ ذِكرُهُم

شُعَراءُ نَفحِ الطيبِ أَنشَرَ ذِكرُهُم

في أَرضِ أَندَلُسٍ أَديبُ زَمانِهِ

في أَرضِ أَندَلُسٍ أَديبُ زَمانِهِ

The poets of Nafh al-Tib—their memory was revived

The fragrant-breathed poets, mention of them spread,

In Andalusia by the man of letters of his age.

In the land of Andalus by its most eloquent of eras,

وَدَّ اِبنُ هانِئَ وَاِبنُ عَمّارٍ بِها

وَدَّ اِبنُ هانِئَ وَاِبنُ عَمّارٍ بِها

لَو يَظفَرانِ مَعاً بِلَثمِ بَنانِهِ

لَو يَظفَرانِ مَعاً بِلَثمِ بَنانِهِ

There Ibn Hani and Ibn Ammar wished

Ibn Hani and Ibn Ammar strove for it,

To win the chance together to kiss his fingertips.

Could they together attain the kiss of his lips,

وَلَوِ اِستَطاعا فَوقَ ذاكَ لَأَقبَلا

وَلَوِ اِستَطاعا فَوقَ ذاكَ لَأَقبَلا

رَغمَ البِلى وَالقَبرِ يَستَبِقانِهِ

رَغمَ البِلى وَالقَبرِ يَستَبِقانِهِ

And could they do more than that, they would come,

And if they could attain more than that they would hasten,

Despite decay and the grave, racing to reach him.

Defying decrepitude and the grave to reach him,

يا كَرمَةَ المَطَرِيَّةِ اِبتَهِجي بِهِ

يا كَرمَةَ المَطَرِيَّةِ اِبتَهِجي بِهِ

وَاِستَقبِلي الظَمآنَ مِن أَخدانِهِ

وَاِستَقبِلي الظَمآنَ مِن أَخدانِهِ

O vine of al-Matariyya, rejoice in him,

O vine of Matrud, rejoice in him,

And welcome the thirsty one among his friends.

And quench the thirsty from his streams,

مُدّي الظِلالَ عَلى الوُفودِ وَجَدِّدي

مُدّي الظِلالَ عَلى الوُفودِ وَجَدِّدي

عَهداً طَواهُ الدَهرُ في بُستانِهِ

عَهداً طَواهُ الدَهرُ في بُستانِهِ

Spread your shade over the visitors, and renew

Spread your shade over the pilgrims and renew,

A past that time folded away in his garden.

A time hidden by fate in your orchard,

كَم مَجلِسٍ لِلَّهوِ فيهِ شَهِدتُهُ

كَم مَجلِسٍ لِلَّهوِ فيهِ شَهِدتُهُ

فَسَكِرتُ مِن ديوانِهِ وَدِنانِهِ

فَسَكِرتُ مِن ديوانِهِ وَدِنانِهِ

How many a gathering of pleasure I attended there,

How many a gathering of joy in it I attended,

And grew drunk on his verse and his wine jars!

And from his ode and rhymes grew drunk,

غَنّى مُغَنّيهِ فَهاجَ غِناؤُهُ

غَنّى مُغَنّيهِ فَهاجَ غِناؤُهُ

شَجوَ الحَمامِ عَلى ذُوائِبِ بانِهِ

شَجوَ الحَمامِ عَلى ذُوائِبِ بانِهِ

His singer sang, and his singing stirred

A singer sang and his singing was impassioned,

The doves' plaint upon the crowns of his ban trees.

The lament of doves for their departed beloved,

فَتَرَنَّحَت أَشجارُهُ وَتَمايَلَت

فَتَرَنَّحَت أَشجارُهُ وَتَمايَلَت

أَعوادُها طَرَباً عَلى عيدانِهِ

أَعوادُها طَرَباً عَلى عيدانِهِ

Then his trees reeled, and swayed

So its trees swayed gently and its boughs,

Their boughs in rapture to his lutes.

Swayed in rapture upon their trunks,

فَكَأَنَّ مَجلِسَنا هُناكَ قَصيدَةٌ

فَكَأَنَّ مَجلِسَنا هُناكَ قَصيدَةٌ

مِن نَظمِهِ طَلَعَت عَلى عُبدانِهِ

مِن نَظمِهِ طَلَعَت عَلى عُبدانِهِ

So it was as though our gathering there were a poem

And so our gathering there was like a poem,

Of his composing, dawning upon his slaves.

Of his composition rising over his servants,

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي قَد رَدَّهُ

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي قَد رَدَّهُ

مِن بَعدِ غُربَتِهِ إِلى أَوطانِهِ

مِن بَعدِ غُربَتِهِ إِلى أَوطانِهِ

So praise be to God, who brought him back,

So praise be to Allah who returned him,

After his exile, to his native lands.

After his exile to his homelands,

فَتَنَظَّروا آياتِهِ وَتَسَمَّعوا

فَتَنَظَّروا آياتِهِ وَتَسَمَّعوا

قَد قامَ بُلبُلُكُم عَلى أَغصانِهِ

قَد قامَ بُلبُلُكُم عَلى أَغصانِهِ

So behold his marvels and listen closely:

So await his signs and hearken,

Your nightingale now stands upon his branches.

For your nightingale is calling from his branches