إِنّي أَتَتني مِن لَدُنكَ صَحيفَةٌ

إِنّي أَتَتني مِن لَدُنكَ صَحيفَةٌ

غَلَبَت هُمومَ الصَدرِ وَهيَ غَوالِبُ

غَلَبَت هُمومَ الصَدرِ وَهيَ غَوالِبُ

Indeed, a letter from you has reached me,

A scroll has come to me from your side,

It overcame the cares of my breast, though they are overpowering.

It has overcome the worries of my heart, so very overwhelming,

وَطَلَبتَ وُدّي وَالتَنائِفُ بَينَنا

وَطَلَبتَ وُدّي وَالتَنائِفُ بَينَنا

فَنَداكَ مَطلوبٌ وَمَجدُكَ طالِبُ

فَنَداكَ مَطلوبٌ وَمَجدُكَ طالِبُ

And you sought my affection, with vast deserts between us;

You sought my love, though there was estrangement between us,

So your generosity is sought, and your glory is the seeker.

So you called me, and your glory did the seeking.

فَلتَلقَيَنَّكَ حَيثُ كُنتَ قَصائِدٌ

فَلتَلقَيَنَّكَ حَيثُ كُنتَ قَصائِدٌ

فيها لِأَهلِ المَكرُماتِ مَآرِبُ

فيها لِأَهلِ المَكرُماتِ مَآرِبُ

So let poems surely meet you wherever you may be,

May you be met with poems,

In which people of noble deeds find what they seek.

In which the gracious find strange marvels,

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في السَماعِ جَنادِلٌ

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في السَماعِ جَنادِلٌ

وَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في العُيونِ كَواكِبُ

وَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في العُيونِ كَواكِبُ

So, to the ear, they seem like boulders,

As though they were, when heard, wondrous tales,

And to the eye, they seem like stars.

And as though they were, when seen, shining stars.

وَغَرائِبٌ تَأتيكَ إِلّا أَنَّها

وَغَرائِبٌ تَأتيكَ إِلّا أَنَّها

لِصَنيعِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ أَقارِبُ

لِصَنيعِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ أَقارِبُ

And rare wonders come to you, yet they

Wondrous things come to you, though they are

Are kin to your good and beautiful acts of kindness.

For your fair, beautiful work, kindred.

نِعَمٌ إِذا رُعِيَت بِشُكرٍ لَم تَزَل

نِعَمٌ إِذا رُعِيَت بِشُكرٍ لَم تَزَل

نِعَماً وَإِن لَم تُرعَ فَهيَ مَصائِبُ

نِعَماً وَإِن لَم تُرعَ فَهيَ مَصائِبُ

Blessings, when tended with gratitude, remain

Blessings, if tended with thanks, will not cease

Blessings; but if untended, they are calamities.

To be blessings, though if not tended, they turn to misfortunes.

كَثُرَت خَطايا الدَهرِ فِيَّ وَقَد يُرى

كَثُرَت خَطايا الدَهرِ فِيَّ وَقَد يُرى

بِنَداكَ وَهوَ إِلَيَّ مِنها تائِبُ

بِنَداكَ وَهوَ إِلَيَّ مِنها تائِبُ

Time's sins against me have grown many; yet it may be seen

Numerous are the sins of fate upon me, yet by your call

Through your generosity, repenting to me of them.

It may be seen turning from them repentant.

وَتَتابَعَت أَيّامُهُ وَشُهورُهُ

وَتَتابَعَت أَيّامُهُ وَشُهورُهُ

عُصَباً يُغِرنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ مَقانِبُ

عُصَباً يُغِرنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ مَقانِبُ

And its days and months followed one another,

Its days and months succeeded each other

In raiding bands, as though they were cavalry squadrons,

Closely, tempting, as though they were maidens with slender waists.

مِن نَكبَةٍ مَحفوفَةٍ بِمُصيبَةٍ

مِن نَكبَةٍ مَحفوفَةٍ بِمُصيبَةٍ

جُذَّ السَنامُ لَها وَجُذَّ الغارِبُ

جُذَّ السَنامُ لَها وَجُذَّ الغارِبُ

Of a misfortune hemmed in by calamity,

From a catastrophe surrounded by calamity

For which the hump was cut off, and the withers cut off;

The sun withdrew for it, and the sun set.

أَو لَوعَةٍ مَنتوجَةٍ مِن فُرقَةٍ

أَو لَوعَةٍ مَنتوجَةٍ مِن فُرقَةٍ

حَقُّ الدُموعِ عَلَيَّ فيها واجِبُ

حَقُّ الدُموعِ عَلَيَّ فيها واجِبُ

Or burning anguish born of separation,

Oh, from a torment woven with parting -

For which the due tribute of tears is incumbent upon me.

My tears for it are a duty incumbent upon me.

وَوَلِهتُ مُذ زُمَّت رِكابُكَ لِلنَوى

وَوَلِهتُ مُذ زُمَّت رِكابُكَ لِلنَوى

فَكَأَنَّني مُذ غِبتَ عَنّي غائِبُ

فَكَأَنَّني مُذ غِبتَ عَنّي غائِبُ

And I have been distraught since your riding camels were haltered for departure;

I became confused when I girded my loins to visit you,

So it is as though, since you left me, I myself am absent.

So that since you've been absent from me, ‘tis as though you are absent.