خذها إليك أبا إسحاق عن عجل
عنوان ودٍّ كريم الخُبر والخَبر
Take it, Abu Ishaq—sent to you in haste:
Receive this, Abu Ishaq, in haste—
a token of affection, noble in intimate knowledge and in report;
A token of affection, noble as known firsthand and by report.
صحيفة صدرت والشَّوق يحفزها
والقلب يتبعها والجسم بالأثر
a letter that has set forth, with longing urging it onward,
A letter has gone forth, with longing urging it on;
the heart following it, and the body in its wake.
The heart follows it, and the body trails behind.
أمّت فناءك تستسقيك من ظمأ
أضنى الفؤاد وتستشفيك من ضمر
It has made for your courtyard, asking you to quench a thirst
It has sought your courtyard, asking you to quench a thirst
that has worn the heart away, and seeking from you a cure for its wasting.
That has weakened the heart; it asks you to heal its wasting.
وفي لقائك برٌّ عاجل ورؤى
إن كان في الغيب إنساء من العمر
In meeting you lie kindness close at hand and visions—
And in meeting you lie immediate kindness and visions,
if the unseen holds some prolonging of life.
If the unseen holds an extension of life.
من أخطأ السَّمت والظلماء عاكفة
لم يهد مقلته إلاَّ سنى القمر
Whoever loses the way while darkness broods
Whoever loses his bearings while darkness lingers
has nothing to guide his eye but the moon’s radiance.
Has only the moon’s radiance to guide his eye.
Sol 6.1