أَسرار أَشواقي الفُؤادُ أكنّها

أَسرار أَشواقي الفُؤادُ أكنّها

لِلشام وَاللاحي يَقول دَعنَّها

لِلشام وَاللاحي يَقول دَعنَّها

My heart has hidden the secrets of my longings

My heart conceals secrets of longing

For al-Sham, while the reproacher says: “Do leave her!

For Damascus and its meadows someone says leave them

طف في البِلاد وإِن قَصَدت أَغنَّها

طف في البِلاد وإِن قَصَدت أَغنَّها

عرّج رِكابك عَن دِمَشق لِأَنَّها

عرّج رِكابك عَن دِمَشق لِأَنَّها

Roam the lands, and if you seek their lushest,

Wander the lands though you've set out to sing their praises

Turn your mounts away from Damascus, for she is

Divert your mounts from Damascus for it

بَلد تَذلّ لَها الأُسود وَتَخضعُ

بَلد تَذلّ لَها الأُسود وَتَخضعُ

بَلد يَعزّ نَوال قرب بَعيدها

بَلد يَعزّ نَوال قرب بَعيدها

A city before which lions humble themselves and submit.”

Is a city where lions bow down and yield

A city where nearness to her aloof beloved is hard to attain;

A city where kindred and stranger alike are honored

بَلد تَرى الأَحشا مَراتع غيدها

بَلد تَرى الأَحشا مَراتع غيدها

بَلد إِذا أَفلَت أَهلّة عيدها

بَلد إِذا أَفلَت أَهلّة عيدها

A city where you see hearts as pastures for her graceful maidens;

A city where you see the nobles grazing its pastures

A city where, when her festival crescents set,

A city that when its loved ones are parted on feast days

ما بَين جابيها وَباب بَريدها

ما بَين جابيها وَباب بَريدها

قمر يَغيب وألف بَدر يَطلَعُ

قمر يَغيب وألف بَدر يَطلَعُ

Between her Jabiya Gate and her Barid Gate,

Between its collector of tributes and its postern gate

One moon disappears, and a thousand full moons rise.

A moon sets and a thousand full moons rise