سَقَى عَلَمَ الْحَنَّانِ فَالْجزْعَ فَالْبَانَا

سَقَى عَلَمَ الْحَنَّانِ فَالْجزْعَ فَالْبَانَا

مَلِثٌّ يُبَرِي الرِّهْم سَحّاً وَتَهْتَانَا

مَلِثٌّ يُبَرِي الرِّهْم سَحّاً وَتَهْتَانَا

May al-Hannan's hill, then the valley bend, then the ban trees be watered

Irrigated are the flags of affection, then the trunks, then the branches

by a lingering raincloud that outdoes drizzle in torrents and steady downpours.

A persistent rain that pours heavily and flows

فَإِنْ عَدَّ تَسْكَاباً مَعَالِمَ أُنْسِهَا

فَإِنْ عَدَّ تَسْكَاباً مَعَالِمَ أُنْسِهَا

وَحَيَّى بِمَسْرَاهَا هِضَابا وَغِيطَانَا

وَحَيَّى بِمَسْرَاهَا هِضَابا وَغِيطَانَا

For if, with copious rain, it has counted the landmarks of their delight,

If it counts the features of its landmarks

and greeted hills and hollows along its nightly course,

And the plateaus and valleys roar with its downpour

وَمَدَّ بُرُودَ النَّبْتِ فِي قُتَنِ الرُّبَى

وَمَدَّ بُرُودَ النَّبْتِ فِي قُتَنِ الرُّبَى

وَحَلَّى عَرُوسَ الدَّوْحِ دُرًّا وَعِقْيَانَا

وَحَلَّى عَرُوسَ الدَّوْحِ دُرًّا وَعِقْيَانَا

and spread vegetation's cloaks across the hills' crests,

And extends the blossoming of vegetation in the folds of pastureland

and adorned the bride of the great trees with pearls and pure gold—

And adorns the bride of the valley with pearls and agate

مَعَاهِدُ لَذَّاتٍ رُبُوعُ مَآرِبٍ

مَعَاهِدُ لَذَّاتٍ رُبُوعُ مَآرِبٍ

هَصَرْنَا بِهَا غُصْنَ الشَّبِيَبةِ فَيْنَانَا

هَصَرْنَا بِهَا غُصْنَ الشَّبِيَبةِ فَيْنَانَا

these are haunts of pleasure, abodes of desire,

It is loyal to the pleasures of lovely springs

where we bent down youth's luxuriantly branching bough.

With it we were youthful, flexible branches

فكَمْ لِيْلَةٍ لِي لِلْمُنَى فِي رِيَاضِهَا

فكَمْ لِيْلَةٍ لِي لِلْمُنَى فِي رِيَاضِهَا

أُجَرِّرُ مِنْ عَصْبِ الْفُكَاهةِ أَرْدَانَا

أُجَرِّرُ مِنْ عَصْبِ الْفُكَاهةِ أَرْدَانَا

How many a night of desire was mine in their gardens,

So how many nights have I, for the wishes in its meadows

as I trailed sleeves of merriment's striped cloth.

Dragged the train of joy and amusement

رَوَيْنَا عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ مُسْنَدَ زَهْرِهَا

رَوَيْنَا عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ مُسْنَدَ زَهْرِهَا

وَقَدْ مَثَّلَتْ فِيهَا الْمَشَايِخُ أَغْصَانَا

وَقَدْ مَثَّلَتْ فِيهَا الْمَشَايِخُ أَغْصَانَا

We recounted from al-Dahhak, the Laugher, their blossoms' chain-transmitted tale,

We quenched our thirst with the pure fun in it

while the elders there played the part of branches.

And the elders became like branches within it

وَأَدَّتْ عَنِ الْبَكَّاءِ سُحْبُ غَمَامَةٍ

وَأَدَّتْ عَنِ الْبَكَّاءِ سُحْبُ غَمَامَةٍ

فَرَوَّى صَدَى النَّبْتِ الْمُشِيمِ وَرَوَّانَا

فَرَوَّى صَدَى النَّبْتِ الْمُشِيمِ وَرَوَّانَا

And a raincloud's banks passed on tidings from al-Bakka’, the Weeper,

And it brought down from the weeping clouds

and so quenched the withering plants' thirst, and ours.

Which quenched the echo of the vegetation and irrigated us

وَقَدْ رَفَّ جِيدُ الْغُصْنِ فِي حَلْي زَهْرِهِ

وَقَدْ رَفَّ جِيدُ الْغُصْنِ فِي حَلْي زَهْرِهِ

وَنَافَحَ رَاحَ الطَّلِّ فَارتَاحَ نَشْوَانَا

وَنَافَحَ رَاحَ الطَّلِّ فَارتَاحَ نَشْوَانَا

And the branch's neck quivered in the jewelry of its blossoms,

The side of the branch rose in the adornment of its flowers

and exchanged fragrance with the wine of dew, then rejoiced, intoxicated.

And mingled with the scent of the dawning, thus comforting us

وَهَزَّتْ وَُقورَ الرَّوْضِ نَغْمَةُ قَيْنَةٍ

وَهَزَّتْ وَُقورَ الرَّوْضِ نَغْمَةُ قَيْنَةٍ

مِنَ الْوُرْقِ إِذْ بَاتَتْ تُرَجِّعُ أَلْحَانَا

مِنَ الْوُرْقِ إِذْ بَاتَتْ تُرَجِّعُ أَلْحَانَا

And a songstress's tune stirred the garden's stately tree,

The dignity of the garden was shaken by the melody of a singing girl

one of the gray doves, as she spent the night trilling melodies.

From the leaves as she chanted tunes at night

فَجَادَ بِهَا مَا ضَنَّ مِنْ دُرِّ زَهْرِهِ

فَجَادَ بِهَا مَا ضَنَّ مِنْ دُرِّ زَهْرِهِ

وَأَرْخَصَ مِنْ حَلْيِ الْخَمَائِلِ مَا صَانَا

وَأَرْخَصَ مِنْ حَلْيِ الْخَمَائِلِ مَا صَانَا

So, at that song, it bestowed the blossom-pearls it had withheld,

So it gave generously what it hoarded of its flowery pearls

and made cheap the groves' ornaments it had guarded.

And lavished what fineries its maidens safeguarded

أَبَا حَسَنٍ مَا شِئْتُ بَعْدَكَ مَنْظَراً

أَبَا حَسَنٍ مَا شِئْتُ بَعْدَكَ مَنْظَراً

يَرُوقُ وَلاَ خَامَرْتُ نَفْسِيَ سُلْوَانَا

يَرُوقُ وَلاَ خَامَرْتُ نَفْسِيَ سُلْوَانَا

O Abu Hasan, after you I have desired no sight

Oh Abu Hassan! After you I desired no view

that delights, nor have I steeped my soul in forgetfulness.

That would please me or make me delight in life

وَلاَ حَلَّ فِي قَلْبِي لِغَيْرِكَ خَطْرَةٌ

وَلاَ حَلَّ فِي قَلْبِي لِغَيْرِكَ خَطْرَةٌ

وَلاَ اسْتَحْسَنَتْ عَيْنَايَ بَعْدَكَ إِنْسَانَا

وَلاَ اسْتَحْسَنَتْ عَيْنَايَ بَعْدَكَ إِنْسَانَا

Nor has a passing thought of anyone but you settled in my heart,

Nor did the thought of another take root in my heart

nor have my eyes found anyone beautiful after you.

Nor did my eyes appreciate anyone after you

أَلاَ مَنْ نَصِيرِي فِي جِلاَدِ تَبَاعُدٍ

أَلاَ مَنْ نَصِيرِي فِي جِلاَدِ تَبَاعُدٍ

ألا من مُجِيِري مِنْ نَوىً مَدَّ أَشْطَانَا

ألا من مُجِيِري مِنْ نَوىً مَدَّ أَشْطَانَا

Oh, who will champion me in the struggle against distance?

Oh who can help me in the hardship of estrangement?

Oh, who will shelter me from a parting that has stretched out long ropes?

Who can protect me from prolonged separation's sorrows?

وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَسْتَقْرِي حَدِيثَكَ قَبْلَهَا

وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَسْتَقْرِي حَدِيثَكَ قَبْلَهَا

فَهَا أَنَا أَسْتَقْرِي تَحِيَّتَكَ الآنَا

فَهَا أَنَا أَسْتَقْرِي تَحِيَّتَكَ الآنَا

And before that parting I used to seek out your conversation;

I used to find comfort in your conversation before

so here I am now, seeking out your greeting.

And now I find solace in your greetings