جاهَدتَ في تَمهيدِ حِمصٍ راحِلاً

جاهَدتَ في تَمهيدِ حِمصٍ راحِلاً

عَنها وَزِنتَ فِنائَها فِناءَها

عَنها وَزِنتَ فِنائَها فِناءَها

You strove to bring order to Hims while departing

You strove to pave the way to Homs though far,

from it, and adorned its courtyard—its courtyard.

And deemed its end as naught but utter loss.

كَالنَجمِ حَلَّ مُحَسِّناً في أُفقِهِ

كَالنَجمِ حَلَّ مُحَسِّناً في أُفقِهِ

واِنقَضَّ مِنهُ حامِياً وَمُحَصَّنا

واِنقَضَّ مِنهُ حامِياً وَمُحَصَّنا

Like a star that settled in its horizon, bringing beauty,

You shone out like a star along its ridge,

and darted down from it, protecting and protected.

Then fled its heat, though armored and secure.

كَالسَيفِ أَغمِدهُ يَكُن لَكَ حِليَةً

كَالسَيفِ أَغمِدهُ يَكُن لَكَ حِليَةً

أَو لا فَجَرِّدهُ يَكُن لَكَ مَأمَنا

أَو لا فَجَرِّدهُ يَكُن لَكَ مَأمَنا

Like a sword: sheathe it, and it will be your adornment;

A sword, kept sheathed, can serve as ornament;

or else draw it, and it will be your safeguard.

Unsheathed, it shields you with unfailing might.

كَالبَيتِ كانَ مِنَ القَصيدَةِ بَيتَها

كَالبَيتِ كانَ مِنَ القَصيدَةِ بَيتَها

واِزدادَ حُسناً حينَ جاءَ مُضَمَّنا

واِزدادَ حُسناً حينَ جاءَ مُضَمَّنا

Like a verse that was the very heart of the poem,

Each verse within the ode was as a room

and grew lovelier when woven into another poem.

Embellished by the one where it was housed.

كَالغَيثِ في البَلَدِ المُحيلِ أَتى عَلى

كَالغَيثِ في البَلَدِ المُحيلِ أَتى عَلى

حُسنِ الدُعاءِ وَسارَ عَن حُسنِ الثَنا

حُسنِ الدُعاءِ وَسارَ عَن حُسنِ الثَنا

Like rain in a parched land, it came in answer to

You came to a land laboring under drought

beautiful prayer, and departed amid beautiful praise.

With rains of grace and left with thanks undone.

وَلَقَد تَهادَتكَ البِلادُ فَأَنتَ رَي

وَلَقَد تَهادَتكَ البِلادُ فَأَنتَ رَي

حانٌ هُناكَ وَأَنتَ نُوّارٌ هُنا

حانٌ هُناكَ وَأَنتَ نُوّارٌ هُنا

The lands have indeed exchanged you as a gift: you are sweet

You went from land to land in dedication,

basil there, and blossoms here.

A sunlit lamp alight in every clime.

باراكَ قَومٌ في العُلا وَلِعِلَّةٍ

باراكَ قَومٌ في العُلا وَلِعِلَّةٍ

عَزَّ الجُمانُ إِذا الَحَصى لا يُقتَنى

عَزَّ الجُمانُ إِذا الَحَصى لا يُقتَنى

Some people vied with you in eminence; and for a reason

Blessed the folk you aided to ascend

pearls are precious when pebbles are not treasured.

As stars uncounted stud the vault of night.

زُجُّ القَناةِ مُشابِهٌ لِسِنانِها

زُجُّ القَناةِ مُشابِهٌ لِسِنانِها

حَتّى يَهُمَّ مُحارِبٌ أَن يُطعَنا

حَتّى يَهُمَّ مُحارِبٌ أَن يُطعَنا

The lance's butt-spike resembles its spearhead,

The channel and its banks match stroke for stroke

until a warrior is about to be pierced.

Till warriors fear to strike a blow in war.

دَع مَن يُنازِعُكَ الغَناءَ فَإِنَّهُ

دَع مَن يُنازِعُكَ الغَناءَ فَإِنَّهُ

خَرِسٌ يُنازِعُ مَعبَداً حُسنَ الغِنا

خَرِسٌ يُنازِعُ مَعبَداً حُسنَ الغِنا

Leave whoever contests your worth, for he is

Leave be who vie with you in singing's art,

a mute vying with Maʿbad in the beauty of song.

A mute contending with a maestro's gift.