فكأنما هي روضة قد جادها

فكأنما هي روضة قد جادها

من عارض البكر الغمام الصيب

من عارض البكر الغمام الصيب

So it is as though it were a garden abundantly watered

As though it were a garden watered

by rain-laden clouds from the cloudbank of dawn;

By the rainclouds of the dawning sky,

فتفتح النوار في ساحاتها

فتفتح النوار في ساحاتها

فمدبّج ومفضض ومذهّب

فمدبّج ومفضض ومذهّب

and blossoms opened in its grounds:

Wherein the flowers open in its fields -

some brocaded, some silvered, and some gilded.

Embroidered, dotted, gilded flowers.

أقسم لو أن قد تقادم عهدها

أقسم لو أن قد تقادم عهدها

كانت بها الأمثال دأباً تضرب

كانت بها الأمثال دأباً تضرب

I swear, had it been of long standing,

I swear if but its epoch were of yore

it would have been cited in proverbs time and again.

Its similes would serve for proverbs oft.