حيsalute كتاباًa letter فضضتI broke open خاتمهits seal
حي كتاباً فضضت خاتمه
عنrevealing مثلthe like of وشيembroidery الرياضthe gardens أوor أملحlovelier
عن مثل وشي الرياض أو أملح
Salute a letter whose seal I broke,
I opened a book and removed its seal
Revealing the like of gardens’ embroidery, or lovelier still.
Of the likes of Wadi Ar-Riyadh or salt flat lands
ياAh كرمmay honor اللهGod وجهthe face of كاتبهits writer
يا كرم الله وجه كاتبه
عرضhe hinted ليto me بالجفاءat estrangement أوor صرحhe declared openly
عرض لي بالجفاء أو صرح
Ah, may God honor its writer’s face!
Oh the grace of Allah upon the face of its author
He hinted to me at estrangement, or declared it openly.
Who has offered me, despite estrangement, generosity
شحhe was sparing بألفاظهwith his words وخاطرهand his imagination
شح بألفاظه وخاطره
بالدرwith pearls منthan كلevery خاطرٍimagination أسمحmore generous
بالدر من كل خاطرٍ أسمح
He was sparing with his words, though his imagination
He was not stingy with his words or feelings
Is more generous with pearls than any other imagination,
But freely gave pearls from every noble thought
حتىuntil أتانيcame to me كتابهhis letter فشفاand so healed
حتى أتاني كتابه فشفا
كلevery فؤادٍheart ببينهby parting from him مقرحwounded
كل فؤادٍ ببينه مقرح
Until his letter reached me and healed
Until his book came to me and healed
Every heart wounded by parting from him.
Every heart wounded by separation
Sol 6.1