نِلتُ مِن وُدِّكَ الجَميلِ اِنتِصافي

نِلتُ مِن وُدِّكَ الجَميلِ اِنتِصافي

حَيثُ مِن سائِرِ القَذى أَنتَ صافي

حَيثُ مِن سائِرِ القَذى أَنتَ صافي

I have received my due from your gracious affection,

I gained my wish from your gracious affection

for you are clear of every mote of impurity.

As you are pure, free from all blemish and defection

وَتَيَقَّنتُ مُذ أَذِنتَ لِكُتبي

وَتَيَقَّنتُ مُذ أَذِنتَ لِكُتبي

أَن تُوافي بِأَنَّ لي أَنتَ وافي

أَن تُوافي بِأَنَّ لي أَنتَ وافي

And I became certain, once you allowed my letters

Since you allowed my letters, I was certain

to reach you, that you are faithful to me.

That you would fulfill, being always faithful and compliant

حَمَلَتها قَوادِمٌ مِن وَفاءٍ

حَمَلَتها قَوادِمٌ مِن وَفاءٍ

وَخَوافٍ لِلوُدِّ غَيرُ خَوافِ

وَخَوافٍ لِلوُدِّ غَيرُ خَوافِ

Primary wing feathers of fidelity bore them,

Couriers brought them with fidelity and awe

and inner feathers of affection, unafraid.

And a devotion to love free of any flaw

أَيُّها الصاحِبُ المُعَظَّمُ تاجُ ال

أَيُّها الصاحِبُ المُعَظَّمُ تاجُ ال

دينِ رَبُّ الإِسعادِ وَالإِسعافِ

دينِ رَبُّ الإِسعادِ وَالإِسعافِ

O exalted patron, Taj al-

O honored companion, crown of faith

Din, lord of aid and succor.

Lord of joy and succor, your helps I await

لا تَظُنَّ اِنقِطاعَ كُتبي بِأَنّي

لا تَظُنَّ اِنقِطاعَ كُتبي بِأَنّي

لَكَ جافٍ كَلّا وَلا مُتَجافِ

لَكَ جافٍ كَلّا وَلا مُتَجافِ

Do not think my letters have ceased because I

Think not my letters ceased, that I grew cold

am cold toward you—no, nor am I aloof.

No, never indifferent or from fondness withheld

ذِكرُكُم مِلءُ مَسمَعي وَسَنا وَج

ذِكرُكُم مِلءُ مَسمَعي وَسَنا وَج

هِكَ تِلقاءِ ناظِري وَالهَوى في

هِكَ تِلقاءِ ناظِري وَالهَوى في

Your mention fills my hearing, and the radiance of your

Thoughts of you fill my hearing and discourse

face is before my eyes, and love is within me.

Your face my vision's goal, you my passion's source

وَرَدَت عَبدَكَ المُقَصِّرِ أَبيا

وَرَدَت عَبدَكَ المُقَصِّرِ أَبيا

تٌ فَأَغنَتهُ عَن كُؤوسِ السُلافِ

تٌ فَأَغنَتهُ عَن كُؤوسِ السُلافِ

Verses reached your remiss servant,

In verse your neglectful servant was profuse

and so spared him the need for cups of choice wine,

So verse made him need no wine's carouse

بِقَوافٍ قَد رُصَّعَت بِالمَعاني

بِقَوافٍ قَد رُصَّعَت بِالمَعاني

وَمَعانٍ قَد فُصِّلَت بِالقَوافي

وَمَعانٍ قَد فُصِّلَت بِالقَوافي

with rhymes studded with meanings,

In rhyme and meaning inlaid with artful phrases

and meanings adorned with rhymes.

And meanings adorned by well-turned, charming mazes

فَتَخَيَّرتُ ما أَقولُ وَأُهدي

فَتَخَيَّرتُ ما أَقولُ وَأُهدي

نَحوَ تِلكَ الأَخلاقِ وَالأَلطافِ

نَحوَ تِلكَ الأَخلاقِ وَالأَلطافِ

So I chose what to say and offer

I picked my words and turned my ode

to those virtues and kindnesses.

Toward those virtues and favors I owe

غَيرَ أَنّي لَفَّقتُ نَذرَ جَوابٍ

غَيرَ أَنّي لَفَّقتُ نَذرَ جَوابٍ

لِيَ شافٍ وَإِن غَدا غَيرَ شافِ

لِيَ شافٍ وَإِن غَدا غَيرَ شافِ

Yet I pieced together a reply as an offering,

Yet I patched together this answer's vow

a cure for me, even if it proves no cure.

Hoping to heal, though it may still chafe now

فَاِسخُ لي مُنعِماً بِتَمهيدِ عُذري

فَاِسخُ لي مُنعِماً بِتَمهيدِ عُذري

إِنَّها مِن خَلائِقِ الأَشرافِ

إِنَّها مِن خَلائِقِ الأَشرافِ

So be generous to me, kindly paving the way for my excuse;

Excuse my faults, your grace can survey

for this is among the traits of the noble.

Such things fine spirits will gently allay

قَد شَرَحتُ المَبسوطَ مِن قِصرِ عُذري

قَد شَرَحتُ المَبسوطَ مِن قِصرِ عُذري

فَاِعتَبِرهُ مِن رَأيِكَ الكَشّافِ

فَاِعتَبِرهُ مِن رَأيِكَ الكَشّافِ

I have set out my brief excuse at length;

I have explained the cause of my terse apology

so weigh it with your penetrating judgment.

Consider it with your piercing, brilliant acuity