سلام على عهد الشبيبة والصب

سلام على عهد الشبيبة والصب

ورونقه الفينان في واحة الربى

ورونقه الفينان في واحة الربى

Peace upon the age of youth and boyhood,

Peace be upon the era of youth and boyhood love, and its lush splendor in the oasis of the hills,

And its luxuriant splendor in the oasis of the hills,

And its swaying green branches, whenever the nightingale of love sings upon them, enchanting with sorrow and delight.

وأغصانه الخضر الموائس إن شد

وأغصانه الخضر الموائس إن شد

عليها هزار الحب أشجى وأطربا

عليها هزار الحب أشجى وأطربا

And its green, swaying branches—whenever there sang

We frolic within its spreading shadows, and from its ripeness gather the delicious, beloved fruit,

Upon them love's nightingale, stirring sorrow and delight.

Strutting in a garment whose weave seems like thickets of flowers swayed by the gentle breeze.

تداعب من أفيائها كل وراف

تداعب من أفيائها كل وراف

ومن ينعها نجني الشهي المحببا

ومن ينعها نجني الشهي المحببا

You caress every ample stretch of its shade,

We play therein, with Time not denying our wishes, even when the seasons grew stingy and barren.

And from its ripe fruit we gather the delicious and beloved.

We whisper to the nights whenever lightning flashes; we rejoiced at its sight, even if it proved a deceptive gleam.

ونختال في برد كأن نسيجه

ونختال في برد كأن نسيجه

خمائل أزهار ترنحها الصبا

خمائل أزهار ترنحها الصبا

And we walk proudly in a cloak whose weave seems

A time has passed while hopes remain, reminding us of innocent play and childhood grounds,

Like groves of flowers swayed by the east wind.

And a life we accepted in both its misery and blessing, and a love we shared as our source and drink.

فنمرح فيها لا الزمان بصادف

فنمرح فيها لا الزمان بصادف

منانا وإن شح الزمان وأجدبا

منانا وإن شح الزمان وأجدبا

So we frolic there; time cannot turn aside

And brothers of truth—how sweet was their conversation, how pleasant and fresh to the listening ear.

Our wishes, even when time grows miserly and barren.

May God watch over that time and its people, even if we found therein no great wealth nor high rank.

نناغي الليالي كلما لاح بارق

نناغي الليالي كلما لاح بارق

سعدنا بمرآه وإن كان خلبا

سعدنا بمرآه وإن كان خلبا

We whisper to the nights; whenever lightning gleams,

For within it lay true loyalty to faith and piety, and pure affection, truthfulness, and dignity.

We delight in its sight, even if it brings no rain.

Gatherings of culture crowned by modesty, where one never encountered the wavering fool,

زمان تقضى والأماني مقيمة

زمان تقضى والأماني مقيمة

تذكرنا لهوا بريئا وملعبا

تذكرنا لهوا بريئا وملعبا

An age has passed, while hopes remain,

Nor anyone stinging with what they possessed; rather, generosity there was coupled with warm welcomes.

Reminding us of innocent play and a playground,

If a verse of poetry passed by bearing wisdom, a man of understanding would embrace it, seconding and commending it,

وعيشا تقبلناه بؤسا ونعمة

وعيشا تقبلناه بؤسا ونعمة

وحبا تقاسمناه وردا ومشربا

وحبا تقاسمناه وردا ومشربا

And a life we accepted in hardship and blessing,

Praising the mention of the verse and the poet who selected it for its wording, meaning, and intent.

And love we shared, our source of water and our drink.

And when the call arose, they all answered its summons and performed the duties required of them.

وإخوان صدق ما أحيلى حديثهم

وإخوان صدق ما أحيلى حديثهم

وأشهاه في سمع الندي وأعذبا

وأشهاه في سمع الندي وأعذبا

And true-hearted friends—how sweet their talk,

Their lips never ceased expressing gratitude for a moment, their praise a heartfelt overflow returning to God.

And how pleasing to the gathering's ear, how dulcet!

Their inner souls were pure of all malice, and their aims were ever closest to the Truth.

رعى الله ذياك الزمان وأهله

رعى الله ذياك الزمان وأهله

وإن لم نجد فيه ثراء ومنصبا

وإن لم نجد فيه ثراء ومنصبا

May God keep that age and its people in His care,

Traits like garden blooms studded with dew, perfuming the hills, the courtyards, and the open desert.

Though we found in it neither wealth nor position.

Their path followed God's sublime nature, and they adopted no other doctrine beside it.

ففيه الولاء الحق للدين والتقى

ففيه الولاء الحق للدين والتقى

وفيه الوداد المحض والصدق والإبا

وفيه الوداد المحض والصدق والإبا

For in it was true devotion to faith and piety,

Possessing virtues sung of by every visitor, they were most compassionate and protective toward their kin.

And in it were pure affection, truthfulness, and noble pride.

They honored the rights of neighbors, and among them the spring of goodness never ceased to pour.

مجالس آداب يتوجها البه

مجالس آداب يتوجها البه

حياء؛ فلا تلقى السفيه المذبذبا

حياء؛ فلا تلقى السفيه المذبذبا

Gatherings of refinement, whose splendid crown was

The eye could not deny the virtue of their cooperation, and the people's hearts were vast with affection.

Modesty; you met no foolish, fickle man,

They strove for their livelihood with vigor and resolve, cleaving the tumultuous seas from east to west,

ولا باخلا بالمستطاع وإنم

ولا باخلا بالمستطاع وإنم

بها الجود مقرونا بأهلا ومرحبا

بها الجود مقرونا بأهلا ومرحبا

Nor anyone withholding what he could give; rather,

Repelling wave after wave, and extracting pearls by force even when the sea refused to yield.

Generosity there came with 'Welcome!' and 'Well met!'

They never extended a hand to beg, believing that lawful provision must be gathered through toil.

إذا مربيت الشعر يحمل حكمة

إذا مربيت الشعر يحمل حكمة

تبناه ذو فهم فثنى وعقبا

تبناه ذو فهم فثنى وعقبا

Whenever a line of poetry passed by, bearing wisdom,

Epics of light and fire that transcended the limits of mere wishes through ambition and drive.

A discerning person embraced it, then praised it and commented,

When they are mentioned, I cannot hold back my tears; though my soul tries to scold them, they overcome.

وشاد بذكر الشعر والشاعر الذي

وشاد بذكر الشعر والشاعر الذي

تخيره لفظا ومعنى ومأربا

تخيره لفظا ومعنى ومأربا

And extolled the verse and the poet who

Those who have gone are gone, yet memories remain immortal, accompanying a lifetime like one procession leading another.

Chose it carefully in wording, meaning, and purpose.

They carved into my heart a scene lost to the distance, yet from my inner sight, it has never faded away.

فإما تعالى الذكر لبى جميعهم

فإما تعالى الذكر لبى جميعهم

نداه وأدوا ما عليهم توجبا

نداه وأدوا ما عليهم توجبا

And whenever the invocation rose, all of them answered

Its call and fulfilled whatever became their duty.

شفاههم لم تبرح الشكر لحظة

شفاههم لم تبرح الشكر لحظة

وتسبيحهم فيض القلوب تأوبا

وتسبيحهم فيض القلوب تأوبا

Their lips never ceased giving thanks, not for a moment,

And their praise overflowed from their hearts, time and again.

سرائرهم من كل غل نقية

سرائرهم من كل غل نقية

وغاياتهم ما كان للحق أقربا

وغاياتهم ما كان للحق أقربا

Their inmost selves were pure of every rancor,

And their aims were whatever lay closest to truth.

صفات كنبت الروض رصعه الندى

صفات كنبت الروض رصعه الندى

فضوع آكاما وسوحا وسبسبا

فضوع آكاما وسوحا وسبسبا

Traits like garden growth, bejeweled by the dew,

Spreading fragrance over hillocks, open grounds, and broad plains.

على فطرة الله السنية نهجهم

على فطرة الله السنية نهجهم

وما اتخذوا من دون ذلك مذهبا

وما اتخذوا من دون ذلك مذهبا

Their way followed the noble nature God instilled,

And they adopted no path apart from that.

لهم شيم يشدو بها كل زائر

لهم شيم يشدو بها كل زائر

وكانوا على الأرحام أحنى وأحدبا

وكانوا على الأرحام أحنى وأحدبا

They had virtues every visitor sang of,

And toward kin they were most tender and solicitous.

يراعون للجيران حق جوارهم

يراعون للجيران حق جوارهم

وما انفك فيهم منبع الخير صيبا

وما انفك فيهم منبع الخير صيبا

They honored the rights owed to their neighbors,

And goodness' wellspring among them never ceased to pour.

تعاونهم لهم تنكر العين فضله

تعاونهم لهم تنكر العين فضله

وكانت صدور القوم بالعطف أرحبا

وكانت صدور القوم بالعطف أرحبا

Their mutual aid—no eye denied its merit,

And the people's hearts were wider with compassion.

سعوا في سبيل العيش جدّا وهمة

سعوا في سبيل العيش جدّا وهمة

فشقوا عباب اليم شرقا ومغربا

فشقوا عباب اليم شرقا ومغربا

They strove for a livelihood with diligence and resolve,

So they cleaved the sea's surging waters, eastward and westward.

يصدون منه موجة إثر موجة

يصدون منه موجة إثر موجة

ويستخرجون الدر قسرا وإن أبى

ويستخرجون الدر قسرا وإن أبى

They fended off its waves, one wave after another,

And wrested pearls from it, even when it refused.

وما بسطوا كف السؤال لأنهم

وما بسطوا كف السؤال لأنهم

يرون حلال الرزق بالكسب يجتبى

يرون حلال الرزق بالكسب يجتبى

And they never held out a begging hand, for they

Believed lawful sustenance was gained through work.

ملاحم من نور ونار تجاوزت

ملاحم من نور ونار تجاوزت

حدود الأماني همة وتوثبا

حدود الأماني همة وتوثبا

Epics of light and fire that surpassed

The bounds of hopes in resolve and daring.

إذا ذكروا لم يملك الدمع مدمعي

إذا ذكروا لم يملك الدمع مدمعي

وإن غالبته النفس زجرا تغلبا

وإن غالبته النفس زجرا تغلبا

Whenever they are mentioned, my eye cannot hold back tears,

And though my soul strives to restrain them, they prevail.

مضى من مضى والذكريات خوالد

مضى من مضى والذكريات خوالد

يواكبن عمرا؛ موكب جر موكبا

يواكبن عمرا؛ موكب جر موكبا

Gone are those who are gone, while memories endure,

Keeping pace with a lifetime, one procession drawing another.

نحتن بقلبي منظراً غاب في المدى

نحتن بقلبي منظراً غاب في المدى

ولكنه عن ناظري ما تغيبا

ولكنه عن ناظري ما تغيبا

They carved in my heart a scene lost in the distance,

Yet it has not vanished from my sight.