سَلامٌ يَفوقُ الرّوضَ فيه الأزاهرُ

سَلامٌ يَفوقُ الرّوضَ فيه الأزاهرُ

ويُزري بعِقد الدّرِّ فيه الجواهرُ

ويُزري بعِقد الدّرِّ فيه الجواهرُ

A greeting surpassing the garden with its blossoms,

Peace that surpasses the garden, wherein flowers blossom,

And putting to shame the pearl necklace with its jewels.

And is adorned with strings of pearls and gems a-glitter.

سَلامٌ يُحاكي المِسكَ عَرفاً وَنَفحَةً

سَلامٌ يُحاكي المِسكَ عَرفاً وَنَفحَةً

بِه الكَونُ مَنفوحٌ بِهِ الكونُ عاطِرُ

بِه الكَونُ مَنفوحٌ بِهِ الكونُ عاطِرُ

A greeting matching musk in scent and fragrant breath,

Peace that emulates the fragrance and breath of musk-

With it the universe is perfumed; with it the universe is fragrant.

The universe exudes it, and the world is redolent.

سَلامٌ غَريبٌ في التّحايا وَبالِغٌ

سَلامٌ غَريبٌ في التّحايا وَبالِغٌ

نِهايَتَها القُصوى وَباهٍ وباهرُ

نِهايَتَها القُصوى وَباهٍ وباهرُ

A greeting rare among salutations, reaching

Strange peace in greetings, eloquent and profound,

Their furthest limit, splendid and dazzling.

Its ultimate apex glorious, magnificent, and bright.

سَلامٌ بِهِ التوقيرُ أَصبَحَ حائِطاً

سَلامٌ بِهِ التوقيرُ أَصبَحَ حائِطاً

سَلامٌ بِهِ التعظيمُ وافٍ ووافرُ

سَلامٌ بِهِ التعظيمُ وافٍ ووافرُ

A greeting in which reverence has become all-encompassing,

Peace with which reverence has become a bastion-

A greeting in which veneration is complete and abundant.

Peace with which esteem is ample and abundant.

سَلامٌ لِأَنواعِ المَحاسِنِ جامِعٌ

سَلامٌ لِأَنواعِ المَحاسِنِ جامِعٌ

سَلامٌ بديعُ الحسنِ زاهٍ وزاهرُ

سَلامٌ بديعُ الحسنِ زاهٍ وزاهرُ

A greeting embracing every kind of beauty,

Peace encompassing all kinds of beauty-

A greeting of wondrous beauty, radiant and blooming.

Peace whose splendor radiates, glows, and shines.

سَلام مَشوق لِلأَحبَّةِ في الهَوى

سَلام مَشوق لِلأَحبَّةِ في الهَوى

يَهيمُ الدّياجي وَالنجومَ يُساهرُ

يَهيمُ الدّياجي وَالنجومَ يُساهرُ

A greeting from one yearning in love for his loved ones,

Alluring peace for the lovers overwhelmed with passion-

Who wanders through dark nights and keeps vigil with the stars.

The birds chirp as the stars keep vigil through the night.

سَلامُ مَشوقٍ تاهَ في مَهمَهِ الهَوى

سَلامُ مَشوقٍ تاهَ في مَهمَهِ الهَوى

وَصاحَبَ وَحشَ القَفرِ وَهو المسامرُ

وَصاحَبَ وَحشَ القَفرِ وَهو المسامرُ

A greeting from one yearning, who wandered lost in love's trackless waste,

Alluring peace - lost in the predicament of fervent love-

And befriended the desert's beasts, their companion by night.

Companion to the beasts roaming the barren site.

سَلامُ محبٍّ صادقٍ في وِدادِهِ

سَلامُ محبٍّ صادقٍ في وِدادِهِ

وَفي كلِّ وَقتٍ للأحبّة ذاكرُ

وَفي كلِّ وَقتٍ للأحبّة ذاكرُ

A greeting from a lover sincere in his affection,

Peace of a sincere lover, true in his affection-

And mindful of his loved ones at every moment.

Who remembers his beloved at every moment and plight.

سَلام محبٍّ مُغرمٍ بِحَبيبهِ

سَلام محبٍّ مُغرمٍ بِحَبيبهِ

تَفوهُ بِه عندَ الحَواس المَشاعرُ

تَفوهُ بِه عندَ الحَواس المَشاعرُ

A greeting from a lover enamored of his beloved,

Peace of an enamored lover, smitten with his beloved-

The feelings voice it before the senses.

With it, emotions are evoked and feelings take flight.

سَلامٌ بِهِ تَبدو التحيّاتُ أَنجُماً

سَلامٌ بِهِ تَبدو التحيّاتُ أَنجُماً

وَذاكَ لَها بَدرٌ ولا غَروَ ظاهِرُ

وَذاكَ لَها بَدرٌ ولا غَروَ ظاهِرُ

A greeting that makes salutations appear as stars,

Peace with which greetings appear as stars-

And that is their full moon, plain to see—no wonder.

For it, the full moon, no doubt, illuminates the night.

سَلامٌ بِهِ تَغلو التحايا وَتَعتَلي

سَلامٌ بِهِ تَغلو التحايا وَتَعتَلي

وفيه له عزّاً تتمُّ المفاخرُ

وفيه له عزّاً تتمُّ المفاخرُ

A greeting through which salutations grow precious and rise high,

Peace with which greetings rise high and climb-

And in it all glories are perfected, to its honor.

With it, glory is complete and pride is at its height.

سَلامٌ بِهِ أَضحَت تُسَرُّ خواطرٌ

سَلامٌ بِهِ أَضحَت تُسَرُّ خواطرٌ

كَما أَصبَحَت فيه تقرُّ النواظرُ

كَما أَصبَحَت فيه تقرُّ النواظرُ

A greeting through which minds have grown glad,

Peace with which hearts and minds find delight-

Just as eyes have come to find delight in it.

As sights, through it, are gratified and requite.

سَلامٌ عَلى الخلِّ الوفيّ أَبي الوفا

سَلامٌ عَلى الخلِّ الوفيّ أَبي الوفا

ومَن هو للأزمان عينٌ وناظرُ

ومَن هو للأزمان عينٌ وناظرُ

A greeting to the faithful friend, Abu al-Wafa,

Peace upon the loyal bosom friend, pillar of fidelity-

And to him who is the eye and pupil of the ages:

For time, its discerning eye and beholder of our plight.

حُسين خَليلُ الحِذقِ وَالفهمِ والحِجى

حُسين خَليلُ الحِذقِ وَالفهمِ والحِجى

خَليٌّ عَنِ الأَشباهِ أنّى النّظائرُ

خَليٌّ عَنِ الأَشباهِ أنّى النّظائرُ

Husayn, companion of skill, understanding, and wisdom,

Hussein Khalil, of astute intellect, wisdom, and merit-

Without peers—where could his equals be?

A bosom friend, above the common and trite.

بَليغٌ لَهُ تَبدو القَوافي خَوادِماً

بَليغٌ لَهُ تَبدو القَوافي خَوادِماً

تُطيعُ لِما يَنهى وَما هوَ آمِرُ

تُطيعُ لِما يَنهى وَما هوَ آمِرُ

Eloquent, with rhymes appearing as his servants,

Eloquent - verses submit to him as handmaidens-

Obeying his prohibitions and whatever he commands.

They obey his command, and whatever he recites.

فَصيحٌ بِهِ سَحبانُ قَد عُدَّ باقِلاً

فَصيحٌ بِهِ سَحبانُ قَد عُدَّ باقِلاً

وَإِن قالَ أمّا بعدُ حين يناظرُ

وَإِن قالَ أمّا بعدُ حين يناظرُ

So eloquent that beside him Sahban is deemed Baqil,

Articulate - with him, clouds have been considered barren-

Even if he says 'Now then' while debating.

Though, when he speaks, his words illuminate and ignite.

بِنَغمَةِ داود بِصَوتِ رَخيمِهِ

بِنَغمَةِ داود بِصَوتِ رَخيمِهِ

بِهِ تبهجُ الأَبصارُ ثمَّ البَصائِرُ

بِهِ تبهجُ الأَبصارُ ثمَّ البَصائِرُ

With David's melody, in his mellow voice,

With David's melody and his own sonorous voice-

It gladdens the eyes, then the inward sight.

Sights and insights through him become cheerful and bright.

إِذا ما شَدانا أَنعَشَ الجِسمَ وَالحَشا

إِذا ما شَدانا أَنعَشَ الجِسمَ وَالحَشا

فَيَرقص ما يَخفى وَما هوَ ظاهِرُ

فَيَرقص ما يَخفى وَما هوَ ظاهِرُ

Whenever he sings to us, he revives the body and the heart,

When he chants, he revives our bodies and spirits-

So what is hidden dances, and what is visible.

Making visible and known what is veiled from our sight.

فَيا أَيّها النّدبُ النبيلُ أَخو الذّكا

فَيا أَيّها النّدبُ النبيلُ أَخو الذّكا

نَظَمت ثَمينَ الدُرِّ والدرّ فاخرُ

نَظَمت ثَمينَ الدُرِّ والدرّ فاخرُ

So, O gallant, noble man, endowed with wit,

So you, O noble lyricist, man of intellect-

You have strung precious pearls, and the pearls are splendid.

Have strung together precious pearls, magnificent and bright.

وَأَهديتَني مِنهُ عَروساً فَريدةً

وَأَهديتَني مِنهُ عَروساً فَريدةً

وَخَيرُ الهَدايا النظمُ يُهديهِ شاعِرُ

وَخَيرُ الهَدايا النظمُ يُهديهِ شاعِرُ

And from them you gave me a peerless bride,

And gifted me a unique bride of matchless verse-

And the best of gifts is verse offered by a poet.

For the best gifts are poems gifted by a poet of might.

فَلا زالَ مِنكَ الفكرُ يَصفو تَخيُّلاً

فَلا زالَ مِنكَ الفكرُ يَصفو تَخيُّلاً

فَيبرزُ مِنهُ الدرُّ ثمَّ الجَواهِرُ

فَيبرزُ مِنهُ الدرُّ ثمَّ الجَواهِرُ

So may your thought remain ever clear in imagination,

Your thoughts forever flow pure in imagination-

So that pearls emerge from it, and then jewels.

Producing therefrom gems and treasures bedight.

وَدُمْ بِأَمانِ اللَّهِ ما هَبَّتِ الصَّبا

وَدُمْ بِأَمانِ اللَّهِ ما هَبَّتِ الصَّبا

وما ناحَ قُمريٌّ وَغَرَّدَ طائرُ

وما ناحَ قُمريٌّ وَغَرَّدَ طائرُ

And remain in God's protection as long as the east wind blows,

Live in God's safety, as long as the morning breeze blows,

And as long as a turtledove laments and a bird sings,

As the moon sheds its light, and the birds recite.

وَما كانَ مِن ذي الودّ خَتمُ كَلامِهِ

وَما كانَ مِن ذي الودّ خَتمُ كَلامِهِ

سَلامٌ يَفوقُ الرّوضَ فيهِ الأزاهُِ

سَلامٌ يَفوقُ الرّوضَ فيهِ الأزاهُِ

And as long as a loving one's closing words are:

And concluding the words of one affectionate and true:

A greeting surpassing the garden with its blossoms.

"Peace that surpasses the garden, wherein flowers blossom."