أَحسِن بديوان السليم كانهُ

أَحسِن بديوان السليم كانهُ

عَقدٌ تُزان بدرهِ الاعناقُ

عَقدٌ تُزان بدرهِ الاعناقُ

How beautiful is al-Salīm’s dīwān—as though it were

How fine is al-Salim's verse collection, as though it were

a necklace with whose pearls necks are adorned;

a necklace whose pearls adorn necks.

كالثَغر تَنسيقاً ونَكهتهِ شَذاً

كالثَغر تَنسيقاً ونَكهتهِ شَذاً

وَزُلالهُ لأَخي الهوى ترياقُ

وَزُلالهُ لأَخي الهوى ترياقُ

like a lovely mouth in symmetry, its breath sweet perfume,

Like a mouth in its symmetry, like its breath in fragrance;

and its limpid draught an antidote for love’s devotee.

and its pure water is an antidote for love's devotee.

قد راق الفاظا ورقَّ مَعانياً

قد راق الفاظا ورقَّ مَعانياً

وَكلاهما مِمّا اِقتَضى الإِشراقُ

وَكلاهما مِمّا اِقتَضى الإِشراقُ

It charms in wording and is delicate in meaning,

Indeed, its wording delights and its meanings are delicate,

and both are just what brilliance calls for.

and both are what radiance calls for.

وَحَكى النَسيمَ بروضهِ فتأَمَّلوا

وَحَكى النَسيمَ بروضهِ فتأَمَّلوا

هَذا النَسيمُ وَهذِهِ الاوراقُ

هَذا النَسيمُ وَهذِهِ الاوراقُ

It mimicked the breeze within its garden—so contemplate, you two:

And in its garden it has imitated the breeze, so contemplate:

this is the breeze, and these are the leaves—the pages.

This is the breeze, and these are the leaves.