سَقى اللَهُ الجَزيرةَ مِن مَحَلٍّ

سَقى اللَهُ الجَزيرةَ مِن مَحَلٍّ

فَقَد حَسُنَت لِقاطِنِها مَراحا

فَقَد حَسُنَت لِقاطِنِها مَراحا

May God water the island, that dwelling-place,

God watered the island from a place

for it has become a lovely retreat for its dweller.

So it became good dwelling for its inhabitants

وَطافَ بِها طَوافَ الصلّ نَهرٌ

وَطافَ بِها طَوافَ الصلّ نَهرٌ

كَما أَبصَرتَ في خَصرٍ وِشاحا

كَما أَبصَرتَ في خَصرٍ وِشاحا

And a river wound around it like an asp,

And a river circled it, circling of accord

as you have seen a sash about a waist.

As you saw a waistband on a slender waist

وَرُبَّ عَشيّةٍ فيهِ طِفقنا

وَرُبَّ عَشيّةٍ فيهِ طِفقنا

نرودُ الظلَّ وَالماءَ القَراحا

نرودُ الظلَّ وَالماءَ القَراحا

And many an evening there we began

And many an evening we wandered in it

to seek out shade and pure water.

Seeking shade, water, and open space

وَقَد ضَرَبَ الضَريبُ بِها قِباباً

وَقَد ضَرَبَ الضَريبُ بِها قِباباً

عَلى الأَدواحِ أَبَهَجتِ البِطاحا

عَلى الأَدواحِ أَبَهَجتِ البِطاحا

And frost had pitched domes there

The tax collector pitched tents on it

upon the great trees, brightening the plains.

On the meadows, delighted for the open ground

وَكانَ جَنابُها يَخضرُّ آسا

وَكانَ جَنابُها يَخضرُّ آسا

فَأَصبَحَ وَهُوَ مَبيضٌ أَقاحا

فَأَصبَحَ وَهُوَ مَبيضٌ أَقاحا

And its grounds had been green with myrtle,

And its side was green, fresh herbage

then at dawn they were white with daisies,

But it woke up bleached, withered and dry

كَأَنّ الخضرَ مَرَّ بِهِ يَميناً

كَأَنّ الخضرَ مَرَّ بِهِ يَميناً

وَمَدَّ عَلَيهِ جبريلٌ جَناحا

وَمَدَّ عَلَيهِ جبريلٌ جَناحا

as though al-Khidr had passed his right hand over them,

As if greenery passed by it yesterday

and Gabriel had spread a wing above them.

And Gabriel spread his wing over it