أباO father of عمْروʿAmr الأعْلىthe most exalted لعَمْركَby your life ماnot المُنىwishes
أبا عمْرو الأعْلى لعَمْركَ ما المُنى
بِعلْقas a treasure متاحattainable ماso long as نزحتI have gone far away عنfrom القربِnearness
بِعلْق متاح ما نزحت عن القربِ
O Abu ʿAmr, most exalted, by your life, wishes are not
O Abu Amr Al-A'la, in your life no wish
An attainable treasure so long as I am far from your presence.
Remains unfulfilled, you have not withdrawn from intimacy.
وقدْand indeed ملكتْhas taken possession of عَلْياكَyour eminence رقيmy servitude مَودةthrough affection
وقدْ ملكتْ عَلْياكَ رقي مَودة
وطابتْand was gladdened بذاكَby that النفْسُthe soul حبًاwith love منfrom القلْبِthe heart
وطابتْ بذاكَ النفْسُ حبًا من القلْبِ
And your eminence has won my servitude through affection,
And pure affection has gained mastery over you,
And thereby my soul was gladdened by heartfelt love.
And the soul took delight in that, out of love from the heart.
وأهديْتَand you gave نظْمًاa poem غُرةthe radiant crown of النظْمِpoetry تَعْتليrising high
وأهديْتَ نظْمًا غُرة النظْمِ تَعْتلي
سنًاin brilliance وسَناءًand splendor فيamong ذُرَىthe peaks of الأنْجُمِthe stars الشهْبِgleaming
سنًا وسَناءً في ذُرَى الأنْجُمِ الشهْبِ
And you gave a poem, the radiant crown of verse, rising
And you composed poetry, the finest poetry, ascending
In brilliance and splendor among the peaks of the gleaming stars.
In years and glory among the radiant stars.
فَقَبلتso I kissed منْfrom َكفthe palm of الرسُولِthe messenger عِلاقَةًa keepsake
فَقَبلت منْ َكف الرسُولِ عِلاقَةً
مِسَاحَةَan expanse of قِرْطاسٍa sheet of paper مِنَof السوْسَنِthe lily الرطْبِfresh
مِسَاحَةَ قِرْطاسٍ مِنَ السوْسَنِ الرطْبِ
So I kissed a keepsake from the messenger's palm—
So I accepted from the messenger's palm
A sheet-sized expanse of fresh lily.
A parchment, the breadth of handspan, of moist lily.
ونَزهْتُand I delighted طَرْفِيmy gaze فيin محاِسِنthe charms of وجنَةٍa cheek
ونَزهْتُ طَرْفِي في محاِسِن وجنَةٍ
تُريكَshows you كمالَthe perfection of البدْرِthe full moon فيamid ناعِمِsupple القُضْبِthe boughs
تُريكَ كمالَ البدْرِ في ناعِمِ القُضْبِ
And I delighted my gaze in the charms of a cheek
And I delighted my gaze in the beauty of cheeks
That shows you the full moon's perfection amid supple boughs.
That show you the full moon's perfection in delicate wrists.
وأماand as for مَتاِبيmy repentance عنْfrom إباحَةthe license of شَرْعكُمْyour law
وأما مَتاِبي عنْ إباحَة شَرْعكُمْ
فذاكَthen that معَbefore الرحْمَنِthe Most Merciful معamong أعظَمِthe gravest الذنْبِsin
فذاكَ معَ الرحْمَنِ مع أعظَمِ الذنْبِ
And as for my repentance from the license your law grants,
But as for my abstinence from sanctioning your law,
That, before the Most Merciful, is among the gravest sins.
That is with the Merciful, though it be the greatest sin.
فذاكso that مَتابٌa repentance تبْتُI have repented منْهُof it دِيانَةًas a matter of faith
فذاك مَتابٌ تبْتُ منْهُ دِيانَةً
مَدىthroughout الدهْرِtime أوor until يُقْضَىis completed مَدىthe span of شِرْعَةِthe law of الحُبlove
مَدى الدهْرِ أو يُقْضَى مَدى شِرْعَةِ الحُب
So it is a repentance I have repented of as a matter of faith,
So that is an abstinence I have repented,
For all time, or until the span of love's law comes to an end.
For the rest of time, or until the term of the law of love.
وإنand if شئُْتُمyou wish رَدto send back الجَوابِthe reply فَإنthen indeed منْthe one who
وإن شئُْتُم رَد الجَوابِ فَإن منْ
أتَانيcame to me بِهِwith it نعْمexcellent is المُنَفذthe courier للكتُبِfor letters
أتَاني بِهِ نعْم المُنَفذ للكتُبِ
And if you wish to send a reply, then the one who
And if you wish a reply sent back,
Brought it to me is an excellent courier of letters.
The bearer is a fine executor of messages.
Sol 6.1