مَولايَ يا رَوضَ فَضلٍ حفَّ بِالزَهرِ

مَولايَ يا رَوضَ فَضلٍ حفَّ بِالزَهرِ

وَبَحرَ عِلمٍ رَمانا مِنهُ بِالدُرَرِ

وَبَحرَ عِلمٍ رَمانا مِنهُ بِالدُرَرِ

My lord, O garden of bounty ringed with blossoms,

My lord, O garden of virtue encircled by blossoms,

O sea of knowledge that showers us with pearls,

And sea of knowledge that cast its pearls upon us.

بَعَثتَ نَحوي عُقوراً حَيّرت فِكري

بَعَثتَ نَحوي عُقوراً حَيّرت فِكري

أَبهى مِنَ الزَهرِ بَل أَزهى مِنَ الزُهرِ

أَبهى مِنَ الزَهرِ بَل أَزهى مِنَ الزُهرِ

you sent me a biting missive that bewildered my mind,

You sent me biting words that bewildered my mind,

more splendid than blossoms—more radiant even than the stars:

More splendid than blossoms—indeed, more radiant than the stars.

دُرّاً لَوَ اَنَّ القَوافي قَلَّدَته زَهَت

دُرّاً لَوَ اَنَّ القَوافي قَلَّدَته زَهَت

بِحُسنِهِ لا بِحُسنِ الدّل وَالحَوَرِ

بِحُسنِهِ لا بِحُسنِ الدّل وَالحَوَرِ

pearls which, if rhymes took them for a necklace, would glory

Pearls—if the rhymes wore them as a necklace, they would shine

in their beauty, not the beauty of coy grace and wide dark eyes.

With their beauty, not the beauty of coy grace and dark-eyed charm.

خِلالَ أَسطُرِهِ عَتبٌ يَفوقُ عَلى

خِلالَ أَسطُرِهِ عَتبٌ يَفوقُ عَلى

وَصفِ الديار بِها حَسّانَةُ النَظَرِ

وَصفِ الديار بِها حَسّانَةُ النَظَرِ

Within its lines is a reproach surpassing

Within its lines is reproach that surpasses

descriptions of dwellings where a fair one delights the eye.

The description of dwellings with a beauty fair to behold within them.

كَيفَ السلوُّ وَلي في كُلِّ جارِحَةٍ

كَيفَ السلوُّ وَلي في كُلِّ جارِحَةٍ

إِلَيكَ شَوقٌ مُحِبٌّ عاقِرُ الوَطَرِ

إِلَيكَ شَوقٌ مُحِبٌّ عاقِرُ الوَطَرِ

How could I forget, when in every limb I bear

How could I forget, when in every limb I have

toward you a loving yearning that thwarts fulfillment?

A lover's longing for you, with desire unfulfilled?

وَفي جَنابِكَ وُدٌّ لا يُغَيِّرُهُ

وَفي جَنابِكَ وُدٌّ لا يُغَيِّرُهُ

عَلى مُرور اللَيالي حادِثُ الغِيَرِ

عَلى مُرور اللَيالي حادِثُ الغِيَرِ

And for your august person I hold an affection unchanged

And within your precincts is a love that cannot be altered,

by any vicissitude through the passing nights.

As the nights pass, by any turn of fortune.

ما كانَ هَجرُ سَماءٍ أَنتَ نَيِّرُها

ما كانَ هَجرُ سَماءٍ أَنتَ نَيِّرُها

عَلى ملالٍ وَلا السُلوانُ مِن وَطري

عَلى ملالٍ وَلا السُلوانُ مِن وَطري

My forsaking a heaven whose luminary you are

My forsaking a heaven whose light you are was not

was never from weariness, nor is forgetfulness my desire.

Out of weariness, nor was forgetfulness my desire.

لَكِن تَحَمَّلتُ مِن نُعماكَ ما عَجَزَت

لَكِن تَحَمَّلتُ مِن نُعماكَ ما عَجَزَت

عَن حَملِ أَدناه مِنّي طاقَةُ البَشَرِ

عَن حَملِ أَدناه مِنّي طاقَةُ البَشَرِ

Rather, I have borne so much of your bounty that

But I have borne such bounty from you that

the strength of mortals in me could not bear even the least of it.

My human strength could not bear even the least of it.

فَكُنتُ فيهِ كَما قَد قالَ شاعِرُنا

فَكُنتُ فيهِ كَما قَد قالَ شاعِرُنا

أَبو العَلاءِ سَقاهُ غَيثُ مُنهَمِرِ

أَبو العَلاءِ سَقاهُ غَيثُ مُنهَمِرِ

And so in this I was as our poet once said—

So in this I was as our poet had said,

Abu al-ʿAla—may pouring rain water him:

Abu al-Ala (may pouring rain water him):

لَوِ اِختَصَرتُم مِنَ الإِحسانِ زُرتُكُم

لَوِ اِختَصَرتُم مِنَ الإِحسانِ زُرتُكُم

وَالعَذبُ يُهجَرُ لِلإِفراط في الحَصَرِ

وَالعَذبُ يُهجَرُ لِلإِفراط في الحَصَرِ

“Had you bestowed less kindness, I would have visited you;

Had you lessened your kindness, I would have visited you;

even sweet water is forsaken through excessive confinement.”

And sweet water is shunned for excessive constriction.