1. قد زارَنا الرَحمنُ واتضحَ الهُدَى

    وانثالتِ الأوثانِ وافتضحَ العِدَى

    The Merciful has visited us, and guidance has become clear.

    The idols have tumbled down, and the foes stand exposed.

  2. وحَظِي الأَنامُ بنِعمةٍ قُدسيَّةٍ

    أَضحَى بها نَهجُ الخَلاصِ مُمَّهدا

    Humanity has received a holy blessing

    through which the path of salvation has been paved.

  3. هُوَذا الإِلهُ نراهُ مبتدئاً لنا

    من مَولِدٍ وَهوَ القديمُ بلا ابتدا

    Behold God: we see him beginning among us

    with a birth, though he is eternal, without beginning.

  4. وافَى بثوبِ الإِنسِ متَّشِحاً وقد

    ملأَ العُفاةَ جَداً وفضلاً يُجتَدَى

    He came clothed in the garment of humanity, having

    filled the supplicants with bounty and favor freely sought.

  5. مُتَدثِّراً ناسُوتَنا وَهُوَ الذي

    مازالَ متَّشِحَ الضِياءِ كما الردا

    Wrapping himself in our humanity, he is the one

    who has always worn light as a cloak.

  6. عِقدَ الحيوةِ أناطَ في جِيدِ الوَرَى

    وأَماطَ عنا وقرَ أَغلالِ الرَدَى

    He hung the necklace of life upon humanity's neck

    and lifted from us the burden of death's shackles.

  7. مَن لم يَزَل في عرشِ عِزِّ عَلائهِ

    قد شاءَ في ذُلِّ الوِلادةِ مِذوَدا

    He who has ever occupied the throne of his exalted glory

    chose a manger in the lowliness of birth.

  8. هُوَ ذا العليُّ على البسيطةِ راقدٌ

    وَهُوَ الذي في عرشِهِ لن يَرقُدا

    Behold the Most High lying upon the earth,

    though upon his throne he never sleeps.

  9. في بيتِ لحمٍ حيثُ دارَ سوامُها

    ثمَّ الإلهُ الابنُ مارسَ مَولِدا

    In Bethlehem, where its grazing livestock roamed,

    God the Son then experienced birth.

  10. عجبٌ عظيمٌيشدهُ الألبابَ إذ

    ظهرَ الإلهُ برفدهِ مُتَجسِّدا

    A mighty wonder astounds the mind, as

    God appears incarnate in his bounty:

  11. مُتنازِلاً مُتعالياً مُتذلِّلاً

    مُتَشرِّفاً مُتَخضِّعاً مُتَمجِّدا

    descending, transcendent, abasing himself,

    exalted, submitting himself, glorious,

  12. مُتَواضِعاً مُتَأَلِّما مُستَحقَراً

    مُتَعاظِماً مُتَنعِّماً مُتَأَيِدا

    humble, suffering, held in contempt,

    majestic, blessed, and mighty.

  13. بُشراكِ يا حَوّاءُ اصلَ بَلائِنا

    كُفِّي النُواحَ فقد تَمَلَّكتِ الفِدَى

    Good tidings to you, Eve, source of our affliction!

    Cease your lamenting, for redemption is now yours.

  14. اليومَ أَصواتُ الملائكِ شُرَّعٌ

    يَنحُونَ بالتمجيدِ رباً أَمجدا

    Today the angels' voices are uplifted;

    they direct their glorification to a most glorious Lord.

  15. يومٌ قَدِ اصطَحَمَت بهِ ثُوَبُ العَلا

    يَحبُونَ تهليلاً يسوعَ السيِّدا

    A day when the hosts on high have thronged together,

    offering hallelujahs to Jesus the Lord.

  16. اليومَ حانَ من الضَلالِ نَجازُهُ

    حَقاً وآنَ لنارهِ أَن تَخمَدا

    Today the end of error is at hand,

    truly, and the hour has come for its fire to die.

  17. اليومَ قد نُظِمَت عُقودُ فِدائِنا

    وقدِ اغتَدَى عِقدُ الضَلالِ مُبدَّدا

    Today the necklaces of our redemption have been strung,

    and error's necklace has been scattered.

  18. اليومَ بُشِّرَتِ الرُعاةُ وقد أَتَوا

    لِيُحقِّقوا العَجَبَ الفريدَ الأَوحَدا

    Today the shepherds received good tidings and came

    to behold the singular, matchless wonder:

  19. ربٌّ أَتَى مُتَجسِّداً من بِكرِهِ

    وخِتامُها باقٍ كما منها بدا

    a Lord come incarnate from his virgin,

    whose seal remains intact even as he emerges from her.

  20. إِنَّ المُلوكَ الفارسيَّةَ أَشخَصوا عن

    أَرضِهِم لمَّا لَهم نَجمٌ بدا

    The Persian kings indeed departed from

    their land when a star appeared to them.

  21. مَلكُونُ كِسبارُ السَرِيُّ وبَختَصا

    لُ طَوَوا بعَسفِهِمِ السريعِ الفَدفَدا

    Malkun, noble Kisbar, and Bakhtsal

    crossed the wilderness with their swift journeying.

  22. نَجمٌ تَقَدَّمَهم يسيرُ تُجاهَهم

    من مَشرِقٍ حتى استَبانُوا المِذوَدا

    A star preceded them, moving before them

    from the east until they discerned the manger.

  23. فَتَحوا كُنوزَهُمُ وقد أَهدَوا لَهُ

    مُرّاً وذاكيةَ اللُبانِ وعَسجَدا

    They opened their treasures and offered him

    myrrh, fragrant frankincense, and gold.

  24. في بيتِ لحمٍ شاهَدُوا رَبّاً أَرَى

    طِفلاً وضيعاً بالقِماطِ مُشدَّدا

    In Bethlehem they beheld a Lord whom I see

    as a lowly child, tightly bound in swaddling bands.

  25. داودُ تاقَ إلى وُرودِ مِياهِها

    وشَكا اللُغوبَ وهل لذاك تقصَّدا

    David longed to drink its waters

    and complained of weariness—but was that truly his intention?

  26. فأَراقَهُ لمَّا أَتَوهُ بهِ وما

    إِن راقَهُ إذ لم يُرِدهُ تَعَمُّدا

    He poured it away when they brought it to him, and

    it did not please him, for he had deliberately not desired it,

  27. ليُبِينَ توقاً لم يَكُن لوُرودِها

    بل لِلَّذي سيَكُونُ أَفضَلَها يدا

    to reveal a longing not for drinking there,

    but for him who would be its most generous giver:

  28. رمزاً إلى ماءِ الحيوةِ ومَنبَعِ ال

    حَسَناتِ رِيِّ الذائِبِينَ من الصَدَى

    a symbol of the water of life and the fountain of

    goodness, quenching those wasting away from thirst;

  29. بحرِ المراحمِ والمكارمِ والغِنَى

    كَنزِ المغانمِ والعظائِمِ والجَدا

    the ocean of mercies, noble gifts, and abundance,

    the treasury of blessings, wonders, and bounty.

  30. أَعني بهِ الفادي مَعِينَ خَلاصِنا

    عينَ المَفاخِرِ والمآثرِ والنَدَى

    I mean the Redeemer, the wellspring of our salvation,

    the fountain of glories, noble deeds, and generosity.

  31. هِيرُودُسُ الخَثَّارُ ساءَ بقتلِهِ

    أَطفالَ أَفراثاً وأَسرَفَ واعتَدَى

    Herod the treacherous did evil by slaughtering

    children into shreds, exceeding all bounds and transgressing.

  32. لمَّا رأَى المُغتالُ سُخرِيَةَ المَجو

    سِ بهِ تَضرَّمَ قلبُهُ وتوقَّدا

    When the murderer saw how the Magi

    had mocked him, his heart blazed and burned.

  33. قَتَلَ الصِغارَ منِ ابنِ ذي عامَينِ أو

    ما دُونَ ذلكَ عاتباً مُتَمرِّدا

    He killed the little children aged two years or

    younger, resentful and rebellious.

  34. قد أَولَغَ الظُلَّامَ في حُكمٍ فأو

    لغَ في حَشَى الأَطفالِ بالظُلمِ المُدَى

    By decree he set the oppressors ravening, and plunged

    blades unjustly into the children's entrails.

  35. خَشِيَ استِلابَ المُلكِ منهُ لأَنَّهُ

    يبغي الجَهُولُ بأَن يعيشَ مُخلَّدا

    He feared being stripped of his kingdom, for

    the fool wished to live forever.

  36. وأَرادَ أَن يُردِي بامرٍ رادَهُ

    من قد تَنزَّهَ بالبَقاءِ عن الرَدَى

    By an order he devised, he sought to kill

    one whose eternal being is beyond death.

  37. لم يَدرِ إِذ فَقَدَ الصَوابَ بانَّهُ

    رَبُّ الممالك فَهوَ يَملِكُ سَرمَدا

    Having lost his senses, he did not know that he

    is Lord of kingdoms and reigns eternally.

  38. وبهِ سيَفنَى كلُّ مُلكٍ زائِل

    ويدومُ في المُلكِ العزيزِ مُؤَيَّدا

    Through him every passing kingdom will perish,

    while he endures, upheld in mighty kingship.

  39. فاليهِ ثابَ الفهمُ لكن بعدَما

    رشقَ السهامَ ومدَّ للبُؤسَى يَدا

    Understanding returned to him, but only after

    he had loosed the arrows and stretched out a hand to misery.

  40. راحيلُ طالَ نحيبُها وزفيرُها

    ثكلاءُ قد أَبَت العزاءَ على المَدَى

    Rachel's sobbing and sighing endured:

    bereaved, she refused consolation forever.

  41. تغضِي الجُفونَ من السُهادِ على القَذَى

    من مَدمَعٍ في خَدِّها قد خَدَّدا

    She closes eyes worn by sleeplessness upon their grit,

    from tears that have furrowed her cheek.

  42. جَفنٌ نَبا فأَبَى يُلِمُّ غِرارُهُ

    مُتَرقِّباً زُهر الدُجَى مُتَسهِّدا

    An eyelid recoils, refusing even a brief slumber,

    watching the stars of darkness, sleepless.

  43. ملأَت نواحيَ رامةٍ نَوحاً على

    أَطفالِها وأَسىً يُذِيبُ الأَكبُدا

    She filled the regions of Ramah with lamentation for

    her children, and grief that melts the heart.

  44. أَمرَ الإِلهُ الآبُ يُوسُفَ في الكَرَى

    خُذ مريماً والطِفلَ واهرُب مُبعِدا

    God the Father commanded Joseph in sleep:

    Take Mary and the child, and flee far away.

  45. والبَث مُقِيماً في حِمَى مِصرٍ إلى

    زَمَنٍ يعودُ العَودُ فيهِ أحمدا

    Remain within Egypt's protection until

    a time when returning will be better.

  46. لمَّا ثَوَوا في أرضِ مِصرٍ غادَروا

    أَصنامَها دكاً ومرآها سُدَى

    When they dwelt in the land of Egypt, they left

    its idols shattered and their spectacle brought to nothing.

  47. فغَدَت رُبَى الطِغيانِ رسماً دارساً

    فيها ورُكنُ الدِينِ عادَ مُشيَّدا

    The heights of tyranny became an effaced ruin

    there, while religion's pillar was raised anew.

  48. وغدا اليقينُ مسوَّماً والحقُّ سا

    رَ مُقوَّماً والكُفرُ ظلَّ مبدَّدا

    Certainty became distinguished, and truth proceeded

    uprightly, while unbelief remained dispersed.

  49. أَمسَى طريقُ الخوفِ مسدوداً ونَهجُ

    الأَمنِ من كلِّ الجِهاتِ مُسدَّدا

    The road of fear was blocked, and the path

    of safety made straight in every direction.

  50. وغدا سبيلُ اللَه مفتوحاً لَمن

    يَبغِي السُلوكَ بهِ وكانَ مُوصَّدا

    God's way became open to whoever

    wished to walk it, though it had been shut.

  51. هذا هُوَ الحقُّ الصُراحُ وإِنَّني

    ما زِلتَ فيهِ مُبرهِناً ومُقلِّدا

    This is the plain truth, and I

    have remained therein, both offering proof and following tradition.

  52. جَمَدَت بِحارُ الغَيِّ من آياتِهِ ال

    فُضلَى وكادَت قبلُ أَن لا تَجمُدا

    The seas of error froze at his signs,

    most excellent, though before they had seemed never to freeze.

  53. لم يَتَّقِ ابنُ اللَهِ إِمرةَ غادرٍ

    فيما تَهدَّد ظالماً وتَوَعَّدا

    The Son of God did not avoid a traitor's authority,

    when he threatened unjustly and uttered menaces,

  54. إِلَّا لنُوغِلَ يالتَنائي حينما

    تَقَعُ الحوادثُ والبَلاءُ ونَحفِدا

    except that we might withdraw far away when

    calamities and affliction strike, and hasten our departure.

  55. عَتَقَ الأَنامُ من الخَطاءِ بآدَمٍ

    لكن بمِيلادِ المسيحِ تجدَّدا

    Humanity grew old through sin in Adam,

    but through Christ's birth it was renewed.

  56. ولقد حُبي حُسنَ التَخَلُّصِ من ضَلا

    لتهِ وعادَ بمريمٍ مسترشِدا

    It was granted a gracious escape from its

    error, and through Mary returned to guidance.

  57. بكرٌ سَمَت شأوَ المعالي مُذ عَلَت

    أَقدامُها مَتنَ السُهَى والفَرقَدا

    A virgin surpassed the utmost heights of glory when

    her feet mounted above Suha and Farqad.

  58. وَلَدَت وقد لَبِثَت بتولاً مِثلَما

    كانت ومازالت على طُولِ المَدَى

    She gave birth while remaining a virgin, just as

    she had been and has remained for all time.

  59. كم قد هَدَت ضُلاً إلى دِينِ ابنِها

    آياتُها فمُخَضرَماً ومُولَّدا

    How many lost souls have been guided to her Son's faith

    by her signs, of earlier and later generations!

  60. وَلَجُوا بدِينِ اللَهِ أَفواجاً فإِن

    مُتَمجِّساً قد كانَ أو مُتَهوِّدا

    They entered God's faith in multitudes, whether

    they had been Magians or followers of Judaism.

  61. أنذرت ذاتي وقف حب كمالها

    وجمالها أمسي ويومي بل غدا

    I vowed myself to the love of her perfection

    and her beauty—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

  62. ما نَسمةٌ سَحَريَّةٌ قد أَوَّدَت

    بهُبوبِها قَدَّ الأَراكِ الأَملَدا

    No dawn breeze that has bent

    with its blowing the supple stature of the arak,

  63. والغُصنُ لمَّا صَفَّقَت راحاتُهُ

    غنَّى لهُ الطَيرُ الأَغَنُّ وغَرَّدا

    nor the branch whose palms have clapped

    as melodious birds sang and warbled to it,

  64. والروضُ يزهو نَورُهُ بكِمامِهِ

    حتى غدا للبَسطِ أَشرَفَ مُنتدَى

    nor the garden whose blossoms flourish in their calyxes

    until it becomes the finest gathering place for delight,

  65. والزُهرُ تُجلَى والأَزاهرُ تنجلي

    والعُودُ إِن أَهدَى الشَذا وان شَدا

    nor stars unveiled and flowers shining,

    nor wood, whether offering fragrance or singing,

  66. بأَجَلَّ من إِنعامِ مريمَ مَن بها

    بالفضل حقاً قد يُؤَمُّ ويُقتدَي

    is more glorious than Mary's beneficence—she who

    is truly sought for grace and followed as a guide.

  67. نَفِدَ المِدادُ وكلَّ عن أوصافها

    لُسُنُ الوَرَى ونُعوتُها لن تَنفَذا

    Ink runs dry, and tongues grow weary describing her,

    yet her attributes will never be exhausted.

  68. يا تَيمَن اللَهِ التي منها أَتَى

    قَمَرُ المَشارقِ مَن بهِ الضالُ اهتدى

    O Teman of God, from whom came

    the moon of the East, through whom the lost found guidance!

  69. يا بنتَ داودَ التي لاحت لهُ

    جبلاً تَفرَّدَ بالعُلى وتَوحَّدا

    O daughter of David, who appeared to him

    as a mountain standing alone in its sublime height!

  70. يا جَرَّةً قد ضُمِنَّت مَنَّ الحيو

    ة وجِزَّةً قَبِلَت مَنَ الرُوحِ النَدَى

    O jar containing the manna of life,

    and fleece that received the Spirit's dew!

  71. ما شاهَدَ الآياتِ منكِ مُوفَّقٌ

    إِلَّا ودانَ لصِدقِها وتَشهَّدا

    No favored soul has witnessed your signs

    without acknowledging their truth and professing faith.

  72. كَلَّا ولم يُبصِر مَراحِمَكِ امرُؤٌ

    إِلَّا وعادَ مُكبِّراً ومُوحِدا

    No indeed: no man has beheld your mercies

    without magnifying God and affirming his oneness.

  73. ردي طريداً خائفاً مستأنساً

    أجَمَ المعاصي عن حماكِ مُشرَّدا

    Bring back a frightened outcast, accustomed to

    the thickets of sins, driven far from your sanctuary.

  74. وأقضي بنوركِ ظلمتي وظلامتي

    كرماً فزندُ الرُشدِ مني أَضلدا

    Dispel with your light my darkness and my wrongs,

    in generosity: my fire-stick of guidance has failed to spark.

  75. ولقد غَدَوتُ بلا اكتفاء فارمُقِي

    رَمَقي فاني قد رَجَوتُكِ ما عَدا

    I have come to lack all sufficiency; look upon

    my flicker of life, for my hope has gone no further than you.

  76. يا خيرَ عالِمةٍ بما أَحتاجُهُ

    دُونَ الهُتافِ فلا احتِياجَ إلى النِدا

    O you who best know what I need

    without a cry—there is no need to call!

  77. إِن كُنتِ عَوني يا بقولةُ في الوَرَى

    لم أَخشَ من كَبدِ العَدُوِّ ولو عَدا

    If you are my help among mortals, O Virgin,

    I will not fear the enemy's malice, even if he attacks.

  78. يا مَن غَزَت كيدَ العَدُوِّ بسطوةٍ

    ما مارسَت فيها قَناً ومُهنَّدا

    O you who vanquished the enemy's plotting with a might

    that wielded neither spears nor an Indian blade!

  79. تاللَهِ إني لا أُصِيحُ لعاذلِ

    فيها وحاشا ان أُطِيعَ مُفنِّدا

    By God, I will not heed a reproacher

    concerning her; far be it that I obey a detractor.

  80. يا حاسدُ اقصِر فالمَحَبَّةُ شِيمتي

    ومَحَبَتَّي لا تستطيعُ الحُسَّدا

    Envious one, desist! Love is my nature,

    and my love cannot abide the envious.

  81. أنا لا أُداري الحاسدينَ فكُلَّما

    داريتُ أَخلاقَ اللئيم تَمرَّدا

    I do not placate the envious, for whenever

    I accommodate a base man's ways, he grows rebellious.

  82. أَنعِش فُؤَادي يا سميرُ بمدحِها

    وذرَنَّ إِسحقَ النديمَ ومعبَدا

    Revive my heart, O companion, with her praise,

    and leave Ishaq the boon companion and Ma'bad aside.

  83. وانثُر على سَمعي نِظامَ قريضِها

    وَدَعِ الفَرَزدَقَ يستهيمُ واحمدا

    Scatter upon my hearing the strung verses of her praise,

    and leave al-Farazdaq and Ahmad to wander lovesick.

  84. ما جادَ فِكري في مدائحِ جُودها

    إِلَّا وكانَ بهِ المديحُ مُجوَّدا

    Whenever my thought has excelled in praising her bounty,

    the praise it produced has been finely wrought.

  85. يَترَنَّمُ الحادي بهِ فتَمُدُّ بال

    آذانِ والسيرِ المَطِيُّ إذا حَدا

    The camel-driver chants it, and the mounts stretch

    their ears and lengthen their stride when he sings.

  86. طُوباكِ يا غَوثَ الوَرَى طُولَ المَدَى

    ما دامَ فضلُكِ للخلائقِ مُرفِدا

    Blessed are you, help of humanity, for all time,

    as long as your grace bestows aid upon creation.

  87. طُوباكِ ما أحيىَ الظلامَ مُجاهدٌ

    بِعبادةِ ابنكِ جاثماً مُتَهجِّدا

    Blessed are you whenever a striver keeps the night alive

    in worship of your Son, kneeling in nightly vigil.

  88. وعليكِ من ربّي التحيةُ والرضى

    ما حنَّ إِلفٌ للقاءِ تودُدا

    Upon you be greeting and favor from my Lord,

    as long as a lover yearns affectionately for a meeting,

  89. وزَهَت بسُندُيِها الرياضُ وقد سقى

    عَذَباتها صَوب العِهادِ تَعَهُّدا

    and gardens flourish in their silks, watered

    on their tender boughs by faithfully returning showers,

  90. وسرى النسيمُ مصافِحاً زَهرَ الرُبى

    سَحَراً وغنَّى العندليبُ وغرَّدا

    and the breeze passes, clasping the hilltops' flowers

    at dawn, and the nightingale sings and warbles.

  91. وغدا نِظامُ المدحِ فيكِ لآلئاً

    كَرُمَت فباهت جوهراً وزَبَرجَدا

    The strung praise of you has become pearls,

    precious, outshining jewels and chrysolite.

  92. حُمِدَت مبادئُهُ فكانَ خِتامُهُ

    مسكاً يزِينُ المُنتهى والمُبتَدا

    Its beginnings were praised, and so its ending became

    musk adorning both the ending and the beginning.