وصلَarrived الكتابُthe letter وكانand it was آنسَthe most welcome واصلٍvisitor
وصلَ الكتابُ وكان آنسَ واصلٍ
عنديto me وأحسنand the finest قادمnewcomer ألقاهI meet it
عندي وأحسن قادم ألقاه
The letter arrived, and was the most welcome visitor
The book arrived, a gracious messenger
to me, and the finest newcomer I could meet.
Delivered to me, the finest guest I've met
لاno شيءthing أنفَسُmore precious منهthan it مُهدَىgiven as a gift جامعاًgathering together
لا شيء أنفَسُ منه مُهدَى جامعاً
شَمِلَthe gathered entirety المنىwishes إلاّexcept الذيthe one who أهداهgave it as a gift
شَمِلَ المنى إلاّ الذي أهداه
No gift is more precious than it, gathering together
Nothing more pleasurable than this gift
all wishes—except the one who gave it.
That fulfilled my every hope and wish
فَفَضَضتُهُso I broke its seal وجعلتand I began ألثمُto kiss كُلَّall ماthat which
فَفَضَضتُهُ وجعلت ألثمُ كُلَّ ما
كتبتهُhad written it أوor مرَّتpassed عليهover it يداهhis two hands
كتبتهُ أو مرَّت عليه يداه
So I broke its seal and began to kiss all that
I opened it eagerly, tasting every word
his hands had written or passed over.
Written by his hand that graced each page
وفهمتand I understood مودَعَهُits contents فرحتI rejoiced بغبطةwith gladness
وفهمت مودَعَهُ فرحت بغبطة
جذلانjoyful مبتهجاًelated بماat what أدّاهit conveyed
جذلان مبتهجاً بما أدّاه
And I understood its contents and rejoiced with gladness,
I grasped its meaning, rejoicing with delight
joyful, elated by what it conveyed.
At its flowing lines that thrilled my heart
وعجبتُand I marveled منat لفظٍwording تناسقwas harmonious فيهin it ماhow
وعجبتُ من لفظٍ تناسق فيه ما
أعلاهlofty it is ماhow أجلاهlucid it is ماhow أحلاهsweet it is
أعلاه ما أجلاه ما أحلاه
And I marveled at wording so harmonious within it—how
Amazed was I by its eloquent phrases
lofty it was, how lucid, how sweet!
Sublime, refined, exquisite and pure
ولقدand indeed غبِتُapparently: I was envied (غُبِطْتُ) عليهfor it عِلقَa precious possession مَضِنَّةٍjealously guarded
ولقد غبِتُ عليه عِلقَ مَضِنَّةٍ
عُدِمتwere lacking لهfor it الأشكالequals والأشباهand likenesses
عُدِمت له الأشكال والأشباه
And indeed I was [envied] for it, a jealously guarded treasure,
Long had I yearned for such precious words
for which no equals or likenesses could be found.
Matchless in form, beyond compare
كالروضlike a garden باكَرَهُvisited it early الحياthe rain فتفَتَّحتso opened
كالروض باكَرَهُ الحيا فتفَتَّحت
أزهارهits flowers وتضوّعَتand wafted forth رَيَّاهits fragrance
أزهاره وتضوّعَت رَيَّاه
Like a garden visited early by rain, so there opened
Like a garden in bloom, alive with flowers
its flowers, and its fragrance wafted forth;
Their petals opened, watered, fresh with dew
كالعقدlike a necklace فُصِّلَwas set لؤلؤاpearls وزبرجداand chrysolite
كالعقد فُصِّلَ لؤلؤا وزبرجدا
فتقابلتso matched one another أولاهُits first مَعwith أخراهُits last
فتقابلت أولاهُ مَع أخراهُ
like a necklace set with pearls and chrysolite,
As a necklace of pearls and gems entwined
its first gems matching its last.
Each link connected from end to end
دُرُّpearls تَرَفَّعَrose قَدرُهُtheir worth عنbeyond قيمةa price
دُرُّ تَرَفَّعَ قَدرُهُ عن قيمة
منظومةstrung together صُغراهُits smaller pearls معwith كُبراهits larger pearls
منظومة صُغراهُ مع كُبراه
Pearls whose worth rose beyond all price,
A jewel raised high, beyond all price
their smaller ones strung together with their larger.
Though a simple string, a treasure troved
Sol 6.1