ياO مُفْرَداًpeerless one فيin الكمالِperfection أَضْحَىhas become
يا مُفْرَداً في الكمالِ أَضْحَى
لَهُfor him بِرَبْعِin the abode of الْعُلَىeminence مَقامُa station
لَهُ بِرَبْعِ الْعُلَى مَقامُ
O peerless one in perfection, who has come
O you unmatched in perfection, you've attained
to hold a station in the abode of eminence,
The highest place in the sublime domain,
وسَيِّداًand a master سادَexcelled فيin الْمَعالِيnoble attainments
وسَيِّداً سادَ في الْمَعالِي
وقَصَّرتand fell short دُونَهُbeneath him الأَنامُhumankind
وقَصَّرت دُونَهُ الأَنامُ
and a master who has excelled in noble attainments,
A lord who ruled o'er lofty traits,
while all humankind have fallen short of him.
While people fell short of your reign,
نِظامُكَyour verse الدُّرُّpearls قَدْindeed أَتانيreached me
نِظامُكَ الدُّرُّ قَدْ أَتاني
ياO حَبَّذَاhow splendid ذَلكَthat النِّظامُverse
يا حَبَّذَا ذَلكَ النِّظامُ
Your verse—a string of pearls—has reached me;
Your prose like pearls has come to me,
oh, how splendid that verse!
Oh, praised be that fine refrain,
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الْبَدْرُthe full moon قَدْindeed تَجَلَّىcleared away
كَأَنَّهُ الْبَدْرُ قَدْ تَجَلَّى
بِنُورِهby its light الزّاهرradiant الْظّلامُthe darkness
بِنُورِه الزّاهر الْظّلامُ
It is like the full moon, which has dispelled
As though the moon revealed its light,
the darkness with its radiant light.
Dispelling darkness with its train,
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الزُّهْرُthe bright stars فيin سَماءٍa sky
كَأَنَّهُ الزُّهْرُ في سَماءٍ
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الزَّهْرُthe blossoms والْكَمامُand the bud-sheaths
كَأَنَّهُ الزَّهْرُ والْكَمامُ
It is like the bright stars in the sky;
Like a flower in clear sky,
it is like blossoms and their bud-sheaths.
Like a flower without stain,
كَأَنَّهُas though it were الرَّوْضُthe garden صافَحَتْهُshook hands with it
كَأَنَّهُ الرَّوْضُ صافَحَتْهُ
سَحائِبٌclouds وَدْقُهاtheir rain رِهامٌfine drizzle
سَحائِبٌ وَدْقُها رِهامٌ
It is like a garden greeted with a handshake
As though a meadow stroked
by clouds whose rain is fine drizzle.
By clouds and showering rain,
ياO عَلَمَbeacon of الدّينِthe faith إنَّindeed قَلْبيmy heart
يا عَلَمَ الدّينِ إنَّ قَلْبي
بِنَظْمِكَby your verse الْعَذْبِsweet مُسْتَهامُenamored
بِنَظْمِكَ الْعَذْبِ مُسْتَهامُ
O beacon of the faith, indeed my heart
O pillar of faith, my heart
is enamored of your sweet verse.
Is captivated by your sweet strain,
سِحْرٌmagic وَلَكِنَّهُbut it is حَلالٌlawful
سِحْرٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ حَلالٌ
وَهْوَand it is عَلَىfor غَيْرِكَanyone other than you الْحَرامُforbidden
وَهْوَ عَلَى غَيْرِكَ الْحَرامُ
It is magic, yet it is lawful,
Magic it is, but lawful still,
and for anyone but you, it is forbidden.
While unlawful for others it remain.
Sol 6.1