هذيthese المَحاسِنُfine qualities قدindeed أُوتيتَهاyou have been given them هَذِيthese
هذي المَحاسِنُ قد أُوتيتَها هَذِي
فكلُّso every شخصٍperson تعاطىattempted to attain شَأْوَهاtheir level هاذِيraving
فكلُّ شخصٍ تعاطى شَأْوَها هاذِي
These fine qualities—these have indeed been bestowed on you.
These beauties you've been endowed with
So anyone who tries to attain their level is raving.
Thus all who've tasted of their charm are doting
أَقْسَمْتُI swore بالنَّحْلِby the bees إِنَّindeed النحلَthe bees قائلةٌsaying
أَقْسَمْتُ بالنَّحْلِ إِنَّ النحلَ قائلةٌ
مَاذِيwhat is this الحلاوَةُsweetness مِمَّاcompared with what تُحْسِنُyou craft well الماذِيpure white honey
مَاذِي الحلاوَةُ مِمَّا تُحْسِنُ الماذِي
I swear by the bees: the bees are saying,
I swear by bees, bees say
What is the sweetness of pure white honey beside what you craft so well?
What sweetness can compare to thy sweet doing?
أَنْفَذِتَyou sent شِعراًa poem فَأَنْفَذْتَand you pierced القُوَىthe powers فَجَرىso there arose
أَنْفَذِتَ شِعراً فَأَنْفَذْتَ القُوَى فَجَرى
شَكْوَىcomplaint وشُكْرٌand thanks لإِنفاذٍfor a piercing وإِنْفَاذِand a sending
شَكْوَى وشُكْرٌ لإِنفاذٍ وإِنْفَاذِ
You sent a poem and pierced my strength; so there arose
You cast your verse and cast your line, and flowing
complaint and thanks, for a piercing and a sending.
Comes love and thanks for casting and providing
وقُمْتَand you stood ليfor me فيamid جفاءٍharshness منfrom صِقِلِّيَةٍSicily
وقُمْتَ لي في جفاءٍ من صِقِلِّيَةٍ
بلُطْفِwith the gentleness of مِصْرَEgypt عليهupon it ظَرْفُrefinement بغْداذِBaghdad
بلُطْفِ مِصْرَ عليه ظَرْفُ بغْداذِ
You stood by me amid harshness from Sicily,
You rose when polished friends to me were cruel
with Egypt's gentleness, overlaid with Baghdad's refinement.
With Egypt's grace on Baghdad's grace relying
إِنْif كانwas طبْعُكَyour nature منof ماءٍwater ورقَّتِهِand its delicacy
إِنْ كان طبْعُكَ من ماءٍ ورقَّتِهِ
فإِنَّthen indeed ذاكَthat فِرِنْدٌa blade's watered pattern بَيْنَamid فولاذِsteel
فإِنَّ ذاكَ فِرِنْدٌ بَيْنَ فولاذِ
If your nature is made of water and its delicacy,
If your nature is of water and its pliancy
then that is a watered pattern amid steel.
Then that's sheer steel midst ordinary iron lying
وماand not وَهَمْتُI was mistaken ففيfor in التلميذِthe pupil مَعْرِفَتيmy knowledge
وما وَهَمْتُ ففي التلميذِ مَعْرِفَتي
حقًّاtruly لأَنَّكَbecause you معروفٌknown بأُسْتَاذيas my teacher
حقًّا لأَنَّكَ معروفٌ بأُسْتَاذي
And I was not mistaken: in the pupil lies my knowledge,
If e'er I err 'tis but to show my pupil's mind
truly, for you are known as my teacher.
For you are known as teacher nones-surpassing
اللهGod يَعْلَمُknows لولاwere it not for أَنتَyou ماnot جُعِلَتْwas laid
الله يَعْلَمُ لولا أَنتَ ما جُعِلَتْ
يَدِيmy hand علىon كَبِدٍa liver للبَيْنِdue to separation أَفْلاذِfragments
يَدِي على كَبِدٍ للبَيْنِ أَفْلاذِ
God knows: but for you, it would never have been laid—
By God, but for you, my hands would never sunder
my hand—on a liver torn to pieces by separation.
The flesh uniting loved-ones intertwining
Sol 6.1