وافى كتابُك مثلما

وافى كتابُك مثلما

وافى لمفقودٍ بشير

وافى لمفقودٍ بشير

Your letter arrived, just as

Your book arrived like a harbinger

a bearer of glad tidings comes to one who is lost.

For one long lost, a joyful tiding,

وكأنه الاقبال جا

وكأنه الاقبال جا

ءَ أو الشفاءُ أوالنشورُ

ءَ أو الشفاءُ أوالنشورُ

And it was as though good fortune had come,

As if good fortune had come calling,

or healing, or resurrection.

Or remedy and resurrection.

وكأنه شرخُ الشبا

وكأنه شرخُ الشبا

ب وعَيشُهُ الغضُّ النَضير

ب وعَيشُهُ الغضُّ النَضير

And as though it were the prime of youth,

It came just when the night was darkest,

and its fresh, flourishing life.

The travelers frozen in their tracks,

وافى وعِيرَ الليل وا

وافى وعِيرَ الليل وا

قفةُ الركاب لا تسيرُ

قفةُ الركاب لا تسيرُ

It arrived while the caravan of night

And in each crevice there emerged

stood still, its mounts not moving.

A brilliant and resplendent dawn.

فأضاء لي من كل فجٍّ

فأضاء لي من كل فجٍّ

منه فجرٌ مستنير

منه فجرٌ مستنير

Then, from every mountain pass, there shone for me

Time's countenance turned bright for me

a radiant dawn from it.

Though lately it had frowned and glowered.

وارتدَّ طرف الدهر عنّي

وارتدَّ طرف الدهر عنّي

وهو مطروف حسير

وهو مطروف حسير

And Time’s eye recoiled from me,

The spheres of destiny, it seemed,

stricken and weary.

Began to turn as I desired.

ورأيتُ افلاك السرو

ورأيتُ افلاك السرو

ر بكلّ ما أهوى تدورُ

ر بكلّ ما أهوى تدورُ

And I saw the spheres of joy

I opened it, and it was like

revolving with all that I desire.

A gown of silk or coat of mail,

وفَضتُه فكأنه

وفَضتُه فكأنه

اثوابُ وشيٍ أو حبير

اثوابُ وشيٍ أو حبير

And I unsealed it, and it seemed like

Like scroll and parchment that contained

robes of embroidered or finely patterned cloth.

The epic tales and battlefields.

خَطٌّ وقِرطاسٌ كأنّ

خَطٌّ وقِرطاسٌ كأنّ

هما السَوالِفُ والثغور

هما السَوالِفُ والثغور

Handwriting and paper, as though

As if a night it was, throughout

they were necks and mouths.

Whose darkness wandered radiant day.

وكأنّه ليلٌ يلو

وكأنّه ليلٌ يلو

حُ خِلالَهُ صُبحٌ منيرُ

حُ خِلالَهُ صُبحٌ منيرُ

And it was like a night

Between lines like a stirring life

through which a luminous dawn shines,

When joy has settled in its home.

ما بين خطّ كالحيا

ما بين خطّ كالحيا

ة اذا استتبَّ لها السرور

ة اذا استتبَّ لها السرور

between handwriting like life

And wonders leaving hearts entranced,

when joy has taken firm hold in it,

As if, from joy, they'd sprouted wings.

وبدائع تَدَع القلو

وبدائع تَدَع القلو

بَ تكاد من طرب تطير

بَ تكاد من طرب تطير

and marvels that leave hearts

Each meaning like a wealthy man

almost flying with delight.

Who shelters those in need.

في كل معنى كالغِنى

في كل معنى كالغِنى

يحويه محتاج فقير

يحويه محتاج فقير

In every meaning, it is like wealth

Or like deliverance attained

possessed by a needy pauper,

By one who'd lost all hope of freedom.

أو كالفكاك يناله

أو كالفكاك يناله

من بعد ما يأسٍ أسير

من بعد ما يأسٍ أسير

or like release attained

Or like good fortune or relief

by a captive after despair,

Of matters difficult and thorny.

أو كالسعادة أو كما

أو كالسعادة أو كما

يتيسر الأمر العسير

يتيسر الأمر العسير

or like happiness, or like

So peace be upon one whose peace

a difficult matter becoming easy.

Endures, whose pillar is secure.

فاسلَم ودُم ما دام ذو

فاسلَم ودُم ما دام ذو

سَلَمٍ وما أرسى ثبير

سَلَمٍ وما أرسى ثبير

So be well, and live on as long as Dhū

Salam endures, and as long as Thabīr stands firm.