ياO سميَّnamesake الذيthe one whom فَداهُransomed him منfrom الذبحslaughter
يا سميَّ الذي فَداهُ من الذبح
إلهُGod السماheaven بذبحٍwith a sacrifice عظيمِmighty
إلهُ السما بذبحٍ عظيمِ
O namesake of him who was ransomed from slaughter
O one whose name was ransomed from slaughter
By the God of heaven with a mighty sacrifice,
God of heaven in great sacrifice
والحفيظُand the watchful one العليمُthe learned one مَنwho فيin هداهُhis guidance
والحفيظُ العليمُ مَن في هداهُ
نابَstood in عنfor جدِّهhis grandfather الحفيظِthe watchful one العليمthe learned one
نابَ عن جدِّه الحفيظِ العليم
And watchful, learned one, who in his guidance
The vigilant knower is the guide for those in His care
Stood in for his watchful, learned grandfather:
Who turned from his ancestors, the vigilant knower
جئتI came ياO فرعscion هاشمٍHashim أجتنيI gather منكfrom you
جئت يا فرع هاشمٍ أجتني منك
سجاياًvirtues طابتwere sweet كطيبِlike the sweetness of الأرومthe roots
سجاياً طابت كطيبِ الأروم
I came, O scion of Hashim, to gather from you
I came to you, O Hashimite branch, to gather from you
Virtues sweet as the sweetness of the roots.
Good traits, aromatic like perfume
فعدتنيso they diverted me عنfrom المرامِthe desired goal عوادٍmisfortunes
فعدتني عن المرامِ عوادٍ
جَلَبتهاbrought them يدُthe hand الزمانِtime اللئيمignoble
جَلَبتها يدُ الزمانِ اللئيم
Then misfortunes kept me from my aim,
Yet you turned me from my hopes, recurring
Brought by the hand of ignoble Time.
Brought by the hand of foul time
حجبتveiled بينناbetween us شكاتُكyour illness ياO بدرُfull moon
حجبت بيننا شكاتُك يا بدرُ
فكمso how many ليfor me منof نظرةٍa glance فيat النجومthe stars
فكم لي من نظرةٍ في النجوم
Your illness set a veil between us, O full moon;
Your sorrows obscured you from me, O full moon
How often, then, have I gazed at the stars!
So I have many a glance at the stars
لستَyou are not أنتyou السقيمَthe ailing one لكنَّbut قلبيmy heart
لستَ أنت السقيمَ لكنَّ قلبي
ياO شفاكmay He heal you الإِلهُGod عينُthe very one السقيمِthe ailing one
يا شفاك الإِلهُ عينُ السقيمِ
You are not the ailing one; rather, my heart
You are not the sick one, but my heart is
—oh, may God heal you!—is the truly ailing one.
O your healing, God is the eye of the sick