خاطبتُI addressed منكfrom you طبيباa physician
خاطبتُ منك طبيبا
بَلْrather لوذعياًa keen-witted man أديباa man of letters
بَلْ لوذعياً أديبا
I addressed a physician in you—
I sought a healer in you,
nay, a keen-witted man of letters.
But found instead a gifted poet.
ألفاظهhis words كالدراريlike the shining stars
ألفاظه كالدراري
تغزلاًlove verse ونسيباand amorous verse
تغزلاً ونسيبا
His words are like shining stars
His words flow like streams,
in love lyrics and amorous verse.
Weaving love and intimacy.
يكادhe almost يسحرbewitches إِنif فاهhe speaks
يكاد يسحر إِن فاه
بالقريضwith poetry القلوباthe hearts
بالقريض القلوبا
If he speaks, he all but enchants
His mouth could cast a spell, should it chant,
hearts with his verse.
Enchanting hearts with verse.
ويستضيءand he draws light بفكرby thought
ويستضيء بفكر
ماnot زالhas ceased يلفىis found مجيباresponsive
ما زال يلفى مجيبا
And he draws light from a mind
His thoughts shine bright,
that is ever found responsive.
Ever finding witty repartees.
يحوكhe weaves فيin كلevery معنىmeaning
يحوك في كل معنى
يعزis hard to attain برداًa cloak قشيباfine and new
يعز برداً قشيبا
He weaves, for every meaning
He spins meaning into every theme,
hard to attain, a fine new cloak,
Dispelling chill with warmth.
ويستدرand he draws milk منfrom العاthe barren one (word begins)
ويستدر من العا
قرcompletion of 'barren one' النفورthe skittish one حليباmilk
قر النفور حليبا
and coaxes from the barren,
He gently draws out from the timid
skittish creature milk,
Milk of trust from wary breasts.
فيin حلsolving لغزa riddle لطيفsubtle
في حل لغز لطيف
يلفىis found لديكin your eyes عجيباwondrous
يلفى لديك عجيبا
in solving a subtle riddle
He deftly solves each riddle,
that you find wondrous:
Amazing you with his strangeness.
لكلto every شخصperson تراهyou see it
لكل شخص تراه
بينamong الأنامhumankind حبيباbeloved
بين الأنام حبيبا
To every person, you see it
All he meets become his darlings,
beloved among humankind.
Among people, loving friends.
إنif منَّit grants favor يوماًone day عليناupon us
إن منَّ يوماً علينا
وافىit arrives يدبُّit creeps دبيباa creeping motion
وافى يدبُّ دبيبا
If one day it favors us,
If one day he favored us,
it comes creeping slowly.
Creeping in slowly, slowly,
تراهyou see it عناfrom us بعيداًfar away
تراه عنا بعيداً
طوراًat times وطوراًand at times قريباnear
طوراً وطوراً قريبا
You see it far from us
You'd find him distant again,
at times, and at times near.
Now close, now far, capricious.
يلفىis found ثلاثthree حروفletters
يلفى ثلاث حروف
يستلّit draws out مناfrom us اللّغوباweariness
يستلّ منا اللّغوبا
It is found to have three letters;
He seeks just three letters,
it draws weariness out of us.
Our hearts’ elusive prize.
Sol 6.1