عند أهلِ العلومِ والآدابِ

عند أهلِ العلومِ والآدابِ

تُبتغَى كُتْبُ جوهر الآدابِ

تُبتغَى كُتْبُ جوهر الآدابِ

Among the people of learning and letters,

Among those versed in the sciences and letters,

books—the very essence of literature—are sought.

The books of the jewel of letters are sought.

فتفضّلْ يا من حَوَى قَصَباتِ السْ

فتفضّلْ يا من حَوَى قَصَباتِ السْ

سّبْقِ في كلّ جَيْئَةٍ وذهابِ

سّبْقِ في كلّ جَيْئَةٍ وذهابِ

Then favor me, O you who has carried off the prize-reeds of—

So be gracious, O you who have won the reeds of

—precedence at every coming and going,

Victory in every coming and going,

بكتابِ القِيان إنّي إليه

بكتابِ القِيان إنّي إليه

ذو غَلِيلٍ ولوعةٍ واكتئابِ

ذو غَلِيلٍ ولوعةٍ واكتئابِ

with The Book of the Singing-Girls; truly, for it I—

With the Book of Singing Slave-Girls; for it I am

—am racked by burning thirst, yearning, and melancholy.

Filled with thirst, burning longing, and dejection,

مستعيرا له لأَنسخَ ما في

مستعيرا له لأَنسخَ ما في

ه فيغدو مستودَعاً في كتابي

ه فيغدو مستودَعاً في كتابي

I ask to borrow it, that I may copy whatever is in—

Seeking to borrow it, so I may copy what is in

—it, so it comes to lie preserved within my book.

It, and so have it preserved in my book.

ثم يأتيك بعد ذاك سريعاً

ثم يأتيك بعد ذاك سريعاً

ولك الشكر وهو خيرُ ثوابِ

ولك الشكر وهو خيرُ ثوابِ

Then it will come back to you swiftly after that;

Then it will return to you soon after that,

and yours will be my thanks—the finest recompense.

And you shall have thanks, which are the finest reward.