وَإِذاand when اليراعُthe reed pen تداوَلتهُwields it يَمينهُhis right hand
وَإِذا اليراعُ تداوَلتهُ يَمينهُ
فَصَريرهُso its scratching طَرَبٌrapture بِهِfor him وَهيامُand ardent love
فَصَريرهُ طَرَبٌ بِهِ وَهيامُ
And when his right hand wields the reed pen,
Its scratching is rapture and passion for him.
وإِذاand when اِمتَطىhe mounts يوماًone day جيادfine steeds كتابَةٍof writing
وإِذا اِمتَطى يوماً جياد كتابَةٍ
فظهورهنَّthen their backs علىto الرجالmen حرامُforbidden
فظهورهنَّ على الرجال حرامُ
And when one day he mounts the steeds of writing,
Their backs are forbidden to men.
ياO منyou who نأىwent far away وكانماand as though هوhe حاضِرٌpresent
يا من نأى وكانما هو حاضِرٌ
وهماًin imagination عليكupon you تحيَّةٌa greeting وَسَلامُand peace
وهماً عليك تحيَّةٌ وَسَلامُ
O you who have gone far away, yet are as though present
In imagination—greetings and peace be upon you.
لَيسَare not الجسومُbodies سوىother than تخيُّلan imagining ناظِرٍa beholder
لَيسَ الجسومُ سوى تخيُّل ناظِرٍ
فَتَساوتِso became equal الاوهامُimaginings والاجسامُand bodies
فَتَساوتِ الاوهامُ والاجسامُ
Bodies are nothing but a beholder's imagining,
So imaginings and bodies are alike.
وَالفَرقُand the difference بينهماbetween the two الكلامspeech وانماand only
وَالفَرقُ بينهما الكلام وانما
هُوَit بالرَسائِلِthrough letters فيin البعادِseparation يُرامُis sought
هُوَ بالرَسائِلِ في البعادِ يُرامُ
And the difference between them is speech, and only
Through letters is it sought in separation.
هَذاthis سلامُa greeting اخيa brother of ودادٍaffection كُلُّهُall of it
هَذا سلامُ اخي ودادٍ كُلُّهُ
ودٌّlove وَكُلُّand all ودادِهِhis affection فدوامُthus, permanence
ودٌّ وَكُلُّ ودادِهِ فدوامُ
This is a loving brother's greeting, wholly
Love; and all his affection is everlasting.
ياAh طالماhow often كانwas النَسيمthe breeze رسولَهُhis messenger
يا طالما كان النَسيم رسولَهُ
وَنَظيرَهُand like it يَسعىhastens اليكَto you نِظامُverse
وَنَظيرَهُ يَسعى اليكَ نِظامُ
Ah, how often the breeze has been his messenger,
And verse, like it, hastens to you.
Sol 6.1