فَلأَكسُوَنَّ عُلاكَ كلَّ غريبةٍ

فَلأَكسُوَنَّ عُلاكَ كلَّ غريبةٍ

وَلَجَت بلُطفٍ سمعَ مَن لم يَسمعِ

وَلَجَت بلُطفٍ سمعَ مَن لم يَسمعِ

So I shall surely clothe your eminence in every wondrous verse

I shall adorn your heights with every strange creature,

I shall clothe your glory with every rare novelty, that gently enters the ear of one who has not heard.

that gently entered the ear of one who had never heard.

And gently capture the ear of those who never listened.

Sealed with its beginning, its ends align, in embroidered borders and jeweled design.

خُتِمت بماابتُدِئَت به فتقابلَت

خُتِمت بماابتُدِئَت به فتقابلَت

أطرافُها بمُوشَّعٍ ومُرَصَّعِ

أطرافُها بمُوشَّعٍ ومُرَصَّعِ

Closed with what it began with, bringing into harmony

It concludes with what it started, symmetry throughout,

For poetry, if a fair opening appears therein, the beauty of the ending is added thereto.

its ends, embroidered and jewel-studded.

Its edges finely decorated and embellished.

Like the rose: its beginning comes with pleasing bloom, and its end with delightful essence.

والشِّعرُ ما إن جاء فيه مَطلَعٌ

والشِّعرُ ما إن جاء فيه مَطلَعٌ

حَسَنٌ أُضِيفَ إليه حُسنُ المَقطعِ

حَسَنٌ أُضِيفَ إليه حُسنُ المَقطعِ

And poetry is that which, if it has an opening

Poetry is beauty when it begins well,

that is beautiful, has the beauty of the close added to it.

Then more beauty is added in each section.

كالوَردِ أوّلُهُ بزَهرٍ مُونقٍ

كالوَردِ أوّلُهُ بزَهرٍ مُونقٍ

يأتي وآخِرُه بماءٍ مُمتَعِ

يأتي وآخِرُه بماءٍ مُمتَعِ

Like the rose: at first, with enchanting blossoms,

Like a rose whose first is a delicate blossom,

it comes, and at last with delightful water.

Then ends with enjoyable scented water.