وعادتْand returned دمشقٌDamascus فوقَabove ماwhat كانَwas حسنُهاher beauty
وعادتْ دمشقٌ فوقَ ما كانَ حسنُها
وأمستْand became عروساًa bride فيin جمالٍbeauty مجدَّدِrenewed
وأمستْ عروساً في جمالٍ مجدَّدِ
And Damascus returned, more beautiful than before,
And Damascus returned more beautiful than it had been
And became a bride in renewed beauty.
And became a bride in renewed splendor
وقالتْand she said لأهلto the people of الكفرِunbelief موتواdie بغيظكمْin your rage
وقالتْ لأهل الكفرِ موتوا بغيظكمْ
فماfor … not أناI إلاّexcept للنبيto the Prophet محمّدِMuhammad
فما أنا إلاّ للنبي محمّدِ
And she said to the unbelievers: “Die in your rage!
And she said to the people of unbelief, die in your rage
For I belong only to the Prophet Muhammad.
For I belong only to the Prophet Muhammad
فلاso do not تذكرواmention عنديin my presence معابدَplaces of worship دينكُمْyour religion
فلا تذكروا عندي معابدَ دينكُمْ
فماfor … not قصباتُprize reeds السَّبْقِvictory إلاّexcept لمعبديto my place of worship
فما قصباتُ السَّبْقِ إلاّ لمعبدي
So do not mention your religion’s places of worship in my presence;
So do not mention to me the temples of your religion
For the prize reeds of victory belong only to my place of worship.”
For the reeds of excellence belong only to my temple