كِتابُكُم مُذ بَدا لِعَيني

كِتابُكُم مُذ بَدا لِعَيني

وَراقَني نَصُّهُ المُجمَلُ

وَراقَني نَصُّهُ المُجمَلُ

Since your letter appeared before my eyes,

Since your book appeared before my eyes

and its succinct text delighted me,

And I liked its concise style

بِالبَدرِ شَبَّهتُهُ وَلَكِن

بِالبَدرِ شَبَّهتُهُ وَلَكِن

بِذاكَ نَقصٍ وَذا مُكمِلُ

بِذاكَ نَقصٍ وَذا مُكمِلُ

I likened it to the full moon, yet

I compared it to the full moon but

that one is deficient, while this is perfect.

It was better, lacking in nothing

أَو أَنَّهُ الوَردُ قَبلَ قَطفٍ

أَو أَنَّهُ الوَردُ قَبلَ قَطفٍ

بِلُؤلُؤِ الطَلِّ قَد تَكَلَّلُ

بِلُؤلُؤِ الطَلِّ قَد تَكَلَّلُ

Or it is the rose, before being plucked,

Or it was like a rose before plucking

already crowned with pearls of dew.

Adorned with drops of dew

لَكِنَّما الوَردُ لَيسَ فيهِ

لَكِنَّما الوَردُ لَيسَ فيهِ

شَيءٌ إِلى العَيبِ قَد يَؤولُ

شَيءٌ إِلى العَيبِ قَد يَؤولُ

Yet the rose contains no

But a rose is not without

thing that might end in a flaw.

Flaws that may come to light

وَذاكَ يَبقى وَلَيسَ فيهِ

وَذاكَ يَبقى وَلَيسَ فيهِ

شَيءٌ عَلى العَيبِ يَؤولُ

شَيءٌ عَلى العَيبِ يَؤولُ

And that endures, and contains no

While this remains flawless

thing that ends in a flaw.

With no defects in sight

وَكُلُّ ما فيهِ ما أُحيلى

وَكُلُّ ما فيهِ ما أُحيلى

مَحاسِنُ شَرحِها مَطولُ

مَحاسِنُ شَرحِها مَطولُ

And all it contains—how very sweet!—

And all that's in it, how wonderful!

is beauty whose description would be lengthy.

With beauties explained at length

فَلَو رَآهُ نَجيبُ عِندي

فَلَو رَآهُ نَجيبُ عِندي

وَلَم يَكُن بِالذَهابِ عِجلُ

وَلَم يَكُن بِالذَهابِ عِجلُ

For had Najib seen it with me,

If the esteemed one had seen it

and not been in a hurry to leave,

And had not rushed away

لَأَصبَحَ اليَومَ في هَناءِ

لَأَصبَحَ اليَومَ في هَناءِ

وَطارَ بِشراً بِما تَخولُ

وَطارَ بِشراً بِما تَخولُ

he would have been happy today,

He'd have woken up happy today

and flown with joy at what you bestow.

And overflowed with joy at what it contains

لِأَنَّهُ عَن رِضاكَ مُنبي

لِأَنَّهُ عَن رِضاكَ مُنبي

وَذا لَدَيهِ هُوَ المُؤَمِّلُ

وَذا لَدَيهِ هُوَ المُؤَمِّلُ

For it tells of your approval,

For it tells of your approval

and that, for him, is what he hopes for.

In which lies his hope

فَدُم حَليفَ العُلا وَفاخِر

فَدُم حَليفَ العُلا وَفاخِر

بِقَدرِكَ الماجِدِ المُبَجَّلُ

بِقَدرِكَ الماجِدِ المُبَجَّلُ

So remain an ally of glory, and take pride

So greetings to the ally of glory, proud

in your noble, revered standing.

Of your glorious, revered position!

في كُلِّ عيدٍ تَرى مَهنى

في كُلِّ عيدٍ تَرى مَهنى

أُخرى التَهاني إِلَيكَ أَوَّلُ

أُخرى التَهاني إِلَيكَ أَوَّلُ

At every feast, may you see yourself congratulated;

On every feast, you will see wishes

may the last congratulations be the first to reach you.

Renewed to you, the first of all!