تقريظcommending أعيانthe finest of الكتبthe books
تقريظ أعيان الكتب
بابa branch يعدّis counted منamong الأدبliterature
باب يعدّ من الأدب
Commending the finest books
Praising the Nobles of Books
is a branch of the literary arts.
A chapter considered of literature
فيهin it استزادةa request for more محسنone who excels
فيه استزادة محسن
وقضاءand fulfillment حقa due right قدalready وجبhas become obligatory
وقضاء حق قد وجب
It asks more of one who has done well,
In it, increase of excellence
and pays a debt that has fallen due,
And fulfilling a due right
وتبرعand a voluntary gift بالفضلof kindness منfrom
وتبرع بالفضل من
متأدّبa cultured person يرعىhonors السببthe bond
متأدّب يرعى السبب
and is a freely given favor from
And volunteering merit from
a man of letters who honors the bond.
A well-mannered one who heeds the cause
أدبa literary custom الأولىthose who سلفواwent before فليـso it is not (first part)
أدب الأولى سلفوا فليـ
ـسnot (completing فليس) بمنin one who تحدّاهمemulates them عجبwonder
ـس بمن تحدّاهم عجب
A practice of those who went before—
The manners of the predecessors went ahead, so there is no wonder
so it is no wonder that one emulates them.
In one who challenges them
ليسis not المقرظthe encomiast ناقداa critic
ليس المقرظ ناقدا
إنif لمdoes not يجدfind عيباa flaw طلبhe seeks
إن لم يجد عيبا طلب
The encomiast is not a critic
The praiser is no critic
who seeks a flaw if he finds none.
If he does not seek out a fault
عينthe eye of المفرّظthe encomiast لاdoes not تمـpass (first part)
عين المفرّظ لا تمـ
ـرpass (completing تمر) علىover المآخذfaults والريبand doubts
ـر على المآخذ والريب
The encomiast's eye does not range
The praiser's eye does not pass
over faults and doubts.
Over shortcomings and doubt
يغشىhe enters المناجمthe mines لاdoes not يرىsee
يغشى المناجم لا يرى
فيin جنحهاtheir recesses غيرother than الذهبgold
في جنحها غير الذهب
He enters the mines and sees
It covers the mines, not seeing
in their recesses nothing but gold.
In its wings anything but gold
ديوانthe poetry collection of توفيقTawfiq أحـdearer (first part)
ديوان توفيق أحـ
ـبdearer (completing أحب) منthan الطِلاwine تحتbeneath الحببthe bubbles
ـب من الطِلا تحت الحبب
Tawfiq's book of verse is
A collection of Tawfiq I love
dearer than wine beneath its bubbles,
More than ripe dates under shells
والذand sweeter منthan مترنمa singer
والذ من مترنم
فيon فرعهits bough ينشىarouses الطربrapture
في فرعه ينشى الطرب
and sweeter than a singing bird
And which from a singer
on its bough, awakening rapture.
In its branch stirs pleasure
بينbetween النسيمthe breeze وبينand between أبـverses (first part)
بين النسيم وبين أبـ
ـياتverses (completing أبيات) النسيبlove poetry بهin it نسبkinship
ـيات النسيب به نسب
Between the breeze and the
Between the breeze and verses
love verses in it there is kinship.
Of the composer - kinship is attributed to it
وإذاand when أشارhe gestures بمدحةwith a panegyric
وإذا أشار بمدحة
شادhe raises high المكارمnoble deeds والحسبand ancestral honor
شاد المكارم والحسب
And when he gestures with a panegyric,
And if he gestures with praise
he raises high noble deeds and ancestral honor.
He exalts virtues and merit
وإذاand when رمىhe aims for خِططthe realms of الحماheroic verse (first part)
وإذا رمى خِطط الحما
سةheroic verse (completing الحماسة) قلتI say قسورةa lion وثبhas leapt
سة قلت قسورة وثب
And when he aims for the realms of
And if he aims at the contours of censure
heroic verse, I say: a lion has leapt!
I say: vigor and vitality
فاقرأهso read it وانتظرand await المزيـmore (first part)
فاقرأه وانتظر المزيـ
ـدmore (completing المزيد) منof الطرائفdelights والنخبand choice pieces
ـد من الطرائف والنخب
So read it, and await
So read it and wait for more
more delights and choice pieces.
Of wit and choice morsels
لاdo not تعجلنbe hasty (emphatic) علىwith الربىthe hills
لا تعجلن على الربى
حتىuntil توشيهاembroider them السحبthe clouds
حتى توشيها السحب
Do not be impatient with the hills
Do not rush upon the meadow
until the clouds embroider them.
Until the clouds saturate it
Sol 6.1