سلامa greeting يؤدّيهconveys it عنّيon my behalf الغدوُّthe early morning
سلام يؤدّيه عنّي الغدوُّ
إليكto you ووقتُand the time of الضُّحىthe forenoon والأَصيلُand the late afternoon
إليك ووقتُ الضُّحى والأَصيلُ
A greeting the early morning bears on my behalf
Greetings I send to you through the morning
to you, as do the forenoon and the late afternoon.
And at dawn and dusk too
سلامٌa greeting لهfor it فيin صَميمِthe innermost core of الفؤادthe heart
سلامٌ له في صَميمِ الفؤاد
وفيand in داخلِthe interior of القلبِthe heart مِنّيfrom me غَليلُa burning longing
وفي داخلِ القلبِ مِنّي غَليلُ
A greeting for which, in the very core of my heart,
Greetings from my heart's core
and deep within my heart, I feel a burning longing.
And from within my heart comes yearning
ضَميريَmy inmost self مُثْنٍone who praises شَكورٌdeeply grateful وإنْand even if
ضَميريَ مُثْنٍ شَكورٌ وإنْ
سكتُّI fell silent فإنّيthen indeed I بصَمْتيthrough my silence أَقولُI speak
سكتُّ فإنّي بصَمْتي أَقولُ
My inmost self is full of praise and gratitude; even if
My conscience gives thanks though
I fall silent, I speak through my silence.
Even if I'm silent, in my silence I speak
وإنيand indeed I إذاwhenever ماan emphatic particle نَباfailed to cut مُنْصُلٌa blade
وإني إذا ما نَبا مُنْصُلٌ
لِمجدِكfor your glory دِرعa shield وسَيْفٌand a sword صَقِيلُpolished
لِمجدِك دِرع وسَيْفٌ صَقِيلُ
And I, whenever a blade fails to cut,
And if a slanderer attacks your glory
am a shield and a polished sword for your glory.
I'll be a shield and polished sword