بشرى أتت واليأس مستحكم

بشرى أتت واليأس مستحكم

والقلب في سبع طباق شداد

والقلب في سبع طباق شداد

Good news came while despair was firmly entrenched,

Good tidings came, though despair was firm,

Glad tidings arrived when despair had taken firm hold,

And the heart lay within seven mighty layers.

And my heart was cloaked in seven layers.

And the heart was locked beneath seven harsh layers of gloom.

كست فؤادي خضرةً بعد ما

كست فؤادي خضرةً بعد ما

كان فؤادي لابساً للحداد

كان فؤادي لابساً للحداد

It clothed my heart in green after

After my heart had worn the garb of grief,

They robed my heart in verdant life after

My heart had been clad in mourning.

It was clad in verdure once again.

My heart had been wearing the garments of mourning.

جلا سواد الغم عني كما

جلا سواد الغم عني كما

يجلى بلون الشمس لون السواد

يجلى بلون الشمس لون السواد

The darkness of grief cleared from me, just as

The blackness of sorrow lifted from me

Dispelling the darkness of sorrow from me, just as

The hue of darkness is dispelled by the sun's radiance.

As the light of dawn dispels the dark of night.

The color of blackness is driven away by the light of the sun.

هذا وما أمل وصلاً سوى

هذا وما أمل وصلاً سوى

صدق وفاءٍ بتقديم الوداد

صدق وفاءٍ بتقديم الوداد

All this, though I hope for no union beyond

I have no hope of union save through

All this, though I longed for no union except

True fidelity expressed in offering affection.

True devotion and steadfast affection.

True fidelity through the offering of sincere affection;

فالمزن قد تطلب لا للحياء

فالمزن قد تطلب لا للحياء

لكن لظل باردٍ ذي امتداد

لكن لظل باردٍ ذي امتداد

For rain clouds may be sought not for rain,

So I seek not a shelter for modesty's sake,

For the rain clouds may be sought not for their downpour,

But for cool shade that stretches far.

But for a cool shade that stretches on.

But for their cool, wide-spreading shade.