حبَّذاhow lovely حِليةُadornment الطِرازِthe embroidery أتتcame منfrom
حبَّذا حِليةُ الطِرازِ أتت من
مِصَرَEgypt تزهوshines resplendently باللؤلؤwith the pearls المنظومِstrung together
مِصَرَ تزهو باللؤلؤ المنظومِ
How lovely is The Adornment of Embroidery, which has come from
The jewels of fine craftsmanship came from
Egypt, resplendent with strung pearls!
Egypt, adorned with strung pearls.
حِليةٌan adornment للعقولfor minds لاnot حِليةُan adornment الوشيِbrocade
حِليةٌ للعقول لا حِليةُ الوشيِ
وكنزُand a treasure المنطوقwhat is spoken والمفهومِand what is understood
وكنزُ المنطوق والمفهومِ
An adornment for minds, not an ornament of brocade,
Jewels for the minds, not jewels for adornment,
And a treasure of what is spoken and understood.
And treasures of eloquence and meaning.
أنشأَتهُshe composed it كريمةٌa noble woman منamong ذواتwomen possessing الthe
أنشأَتهُ كريمةٌ من ذوات ال
مجدglory والفخرand pride فرعُa branch أصلٍa root كريمِnoble
مجد والفخر فرعُ أصلٍ كريمِ
A noble woman composed it, one of those endowed with
Created by a generous woman of
Glory and pride, a branch of a noble root.
Glory and pride, a branch of a generous root.
شمسُa sun علمٍlearning تأتيcome القصائدُthe poems منهاfrom her
شمسُ علمٍ تأتي القصائدُ منها
سائراتٍtraveling فيin الأُفقthe horizon سيرَthe motion of النجومِthe stars
سائراتٍ في الأُفق سيرَ النجومِ
A sun of learning, from whom poems come forth,
A sun of knowledge, from which poems come
Traveling across the horizon as the stars travel.
Flowing on the horizon like stars.
كلevery بيتٍverse بكلّwith every معنىًmeaning بديعٍexquisite
كل بيتٍ بكلّ معنىً بديعٍ
ماthere is no علىon السكرintoxication فيهِin it منany تحريمِprohibition
ما على السكر فيهِ من تحريمِ
Each verse holds every exquisite meaning;
Each verse with every elegant meaning,
There is no ban on intoxication within it.
There is no prohibition on its sweetness.
قدindeed أعادbrought back الزمانُtime عائشةُAisha فيهاin her
قد أعاد الزمانُ عائشةُ فيها
فعاشتand so lived again آثارُtraces علمٍlearning قديمِancient
فعاشت آثارُ علمٍ قديمِ
Time has brought Aisha back in her,
Aisha has brought back the days of old,
And so the legacy of ancient learning lived again.
So the traces of ancient knowledge live on.
هامwas enraptured قلبيmy heart علىupon السماعhearing وأمسىand became
هام قلبي على السماع وأمسى
ذكرُهاremembering her لذَّتيmy delight وفيهand in it نعيميmy bliss
ذكرُها لذَّتي وفيه نعيمي
My heart was enraptured upon hearing, and now
My heart is fascinated by listening, and
Remembering her is my delight, and in it lies my bliss.
Its mention has become my delight and bliss.
هيَshe فخرthe pride of النسآءِwomen بلrather دُرَّةٌa pearl فيupon
هيَ فخر النسآءِ بل دُرَّةٌ في
جيدthe neck of ذاthis العصرage زُيّنَتwas adorned بالعلومِwith the sciences
جيد ذا العصر زُيّنَت بالعلومِ
She is the pride of women—nay, a pearl upon
She is the pride of womankind, nay a pearl
This age's neck, adorned with the sciences.
Adorning the neck of this age with knowledge.
فأدامso may he preserve المولىthe Lord لهاfor her كلall عزٍّglory
فأدام المولى لها كل عزٍّ
ماas long as بداappears الصبحdawn بعدafter ليلٍa night بهيمٍpitch-dark
ما بدا الصبح بعد ليلٍ بهيمٍ
So may the Lord preserve all her glory,
May God eternally grant her all honor,
As long as dawn appears after a pitch-dark night.
As the dawn emerges after a dark night.