وَدَمشَقَ في دِمَشقَ رِجالُ سِلمٍ

وَدَمشَقَ في دِمَشقَ رِجالُ سِلمٍ

لِحُورِ نِسائِهم مِنهُم نِساءُ

لِحُورِ نِسائِهم مِنهُم نِساءُ

And men of peace hastened in Damascus;

In Damascus are men of peace

To their fair-eyed wives, they themselves are women.

For the beautiful women of Damascus, some are women

هِيَ الفِرْدَوْسُ أَصبَحَ وهوَ عافٍ

هِيَ الفِرْدَوْسُ أَصبَحَ وهوَ عافٍ

مِنَ العالي وَمِن خالٍ خلاءُ

مِنَ العالي وَمِن خالٍ خلاءُ

It is Paradise, now grown desolate,

It is paradise, healthy and sublime

Bereft of the lofty and the vacant—a void.

Empty of blemish or defect

جِنانٌ تَعرِفُ الجَنَّات فيها

جِنانٌ تَعرِفُ الجَنَّات فيها

وَلا رَأيٌ هُناكَ وَلا رواءُ

وَلا رَأيٌ هُناكَ وَلا رواءُ

Gardens in which you recognize the gardens of Paradise,

Gardens where gardens are known

And there is neither judgment there nor beauty.

With no opinion or satiation there

لأَسمَح صَعبِها وَدَنَت قصاها

لأَسمَح صَعبِها وَدَنَت قصاها

وَأَمكَنَك اِقتِيادٌ وَاِمتِطاءُ

وَأَمكَنَك اِقتِيادٌ وَاِمتِطاءُ

Its unruly part would surely yield, and its farthest reaches draw near,

Its rugged parts are smooth and its far parts are near

And leading and riding would be within your power.

And you can lead and ride

وَيا نِعْمَ العَطاء عَطاءُ رَبٍّ

وَيا نِعْمَ العَطاء عَطاءُ رَبٍّ

تَوَسَّطَهُ فَأَنشَطَهُ عَطاءُ

تَوَسَّطَهُ فَأَنشَطَهُ عَطاءُ

And ah, how fine a gift—the gift of a lord!

What excellent gifts are the gifts of the Lord

ʿAṭāʾ interceded with him, then roused him.

Doubled by his grace refreshing the soul

تَفاءَلَ بِاِسمِهِ فَالفَألُ وَعْدٌ

تَفاءَلَ بِاِسمِهِ فَالفَألُ وَعْدٌ

يَكونُ عَلى ظُباكَ بِهِ الوَفاءُ

يَكونُ عَلى ظُباكَ بِهِ الوَفاءُ

He took his name as a good omen; an omen is a promise

Good omens in his name, so luck itself

Whose fulfillment will come upon your sword-edges.

Will keep faith with you

هوَ السَّببُ الَّذي شَزرت قُواهُ

هوَ السَّببُ الَّذي شَزرت قُواهُ

وَهَذَّبَهُ بِخِدمَتِكَ الصّفاءُ

وَهَذَّبَهُ بِخِدمَتِكَ الصّفاءُ

He is the cord whose strands you twisted tight,

He is the reason its strength sparked

And sincerity refined him through serving you.

And his service polished it to clarity

وَسَيفٌ إِن تَشِمْهُ تَشِمْ حُسَاماً

وَسَيفٌ إِن تَشِمْهُ تَشِمْ حُسَاماً

وَإِنْ يُغْمَدْ فَنارٌ بَل ذكاءُ

وَإِنْ يُغْمَدْ فَنارٌ بَل ذكاءُ

And a sword: if you draw him, you draw a keen blade;

A sword - if you unsheathe it you unsheathe a blade

And if he is sheathed, he is fire—nay, Dhukāʾ, the sun.

And if sheathed, still fire, pure flame

جَنَتْهُ لَكَ السّعادَةُ قَطْفَ رَأيٍ

جَنَتْهُ لَكَ السّعادَةُ قَطْفَ رَأيٍ

لِنَقبِ الخادِعيكَ بِهِ هناءُ

لِنَقبِ الخادِعيكَ بِهِ هناءُ

Good fortune plucked him for you, a harvest of judgment;

Its gardens have granted you the happiness of a right choice

There is joy in using him to pierce those who deceive you.

To stare down those who would deceive you, blessing you