زارتshe visited علىwith خَفَرٍmodesty وحسنِand grace of تردّدٍhesitation
زارت على خَفَرٍ وحسنِ تردّدٍ
فقضتand so she decreed بتقطيعfor the severing of الجوانحthe ribs واليَدِand the hand
فقضت بتقطيع الجوانح واليَدِ
She visited with modesty and graceful hesitation,
And so decreed the rending of breast and hand.
آنَسْتُI perceived إذwhen قدalready آنَسَتْshe brought comfort منthrough لطفهاher grace
آنَسْتُ إذ قد آنَسَتْ من لطفها
سحرَenchantment of العقولminds وفتنةَand temptation of المتعبِّدthe devout worshipper
سحرَ العقول وفتنةَ المتعبِّد
I perceived, when she had soothed me with her grace,
A spell upon minds and a temptation for the devout.
وعلمتُand I learned منهاfrom her أنّthat منزلَthe abode of بابْلBabylon
وعلمتُ منها أنّ منزلَ بابْل
دونto the exclusion of المنازلthe other abodes فيin فؤادthe heart of محمّدMuhammad
دون المنازل في فؤاد محمّد
And I learned from her that Babylon's abode,
Alone among abodes, lies in Muhammad's heart.
لاdo not تعجبواmarvel, all of you لوif تسمعونyou all hear كلامهاher speech
لا تعجبوا لو تسمعون كلامها
لرأيتُكُمْI would see you all فيamong الرّاكعينthose bowing السُّجَّدِthose prostrating
لرأيتُكُمْ في الرّاكعين السُّجَّدِ
Do not marvel: were you to hear her speech,
I would see you among those bowing and prostrating.
أنزلتُهاI lodged her وَسَطَin the midst of السّوادِthe eye's dark pupil ودُونَهاand below her
أنزلتُها وَسَطَ السّوادِ ودُونَها
قدراًin worth ومنزلةًand rank مجاريthe courses of الوُقَّدِthe blazing lights
قدراً ومنزلةً مجاري الوُقَّدِ
I lodged her in the eye's dark center; below her,
In worth and rank, lie the courses of blazing lights.
ونعمتُand I rejoiced منهاfrom her بانتقالin the conveyance of مودّةaffection
ونعمتُ منها بانتقال مودّة
تزدادُincreases باقيةًenduring بقاءَfor the duration of السَّرْمدِeternity
تزدادُ باقيةً بقاءَ السَّرْمدِ
And I rejoiced in the affection she conveyed,
Which grows, enduring as eternity endures.
منّيfrom me السّلامpeace علىupon الأَعِزَّةِthe noble ones قَوْمِهَاher people
منّي السّلام على الأَعِزَّةِ قَوْمِهَا
أبداًforever ولوeven if كَرُبَتْare distressed قلوبُthe hearts of الحُسَّدِthe envious
أبداً ولو كَرُبَتْ قلوبُ الحُسَّدِ
From me, peace upon the noble ones, her people,
Forever, even if the hearts of the envious ache.