حاءتكhas come to you (apparently جاءتك) تعنوbows in submission للجنابbefore the august presence الرفيعexalted
حاءتك تعنو للجناب الرفيع
فيin رقةdelicacy السحرmagic ووشيand the brocade of الربيعspring
في رقة السحر ووشي الربيع
It has come to you, bowing before your exalted presence,
You came seeking the eminent nobility
With the delicacy of magic and the brocade of spring.
In the softness of magic and spring's first bloom
تحكيmirrors رياضmeadows الحزنrugged uplands فيin أْلسُنٍtongues
تحكي رياض الحزن في أْلسُنٍ
بصْبَصْنthey gleamed منهاfrom them غِبَّafter غَيثَrain مَريعbringing lush growth
بصْبَصْن منها غِبَّ غَيثَ مَريع
It mirrors the meadows of rugged uplands in tongues
Telling of the gardens of sorrow in tongues
That gleamed forth from them after rain bringing lush growth.
Whispering from them a downpour of heavy rain
رامتit sought بهنwith them المدحpraise لكنهاbut it
رامت بهن المدح لكنها
ألفتهit found it شيئاًa thing فوقbeyond ماwhat تستطيعit can accomplish
ألفته شيئاً فوق ما تستطيع
With them it sought to praise you, but
You tried praising him but found
It found this a thing beyond its power.
Something beyond what you can achieve
يعزُّis hard to attain جداًexceedingly مستماهits sought-for goal وهلand can
يعزُّ جداً مستماه وهل
يحاولattempt الضالعthe lame one شَأْوَthe reach of الضليعthe strong one
يحاول الضالع شَأْوَ الضليع
Its goal is exceedingly hard to attain; and can
It is very hard to describe his qualities
The lame try to match the strong one's stride?
Can the wounded describe the healed?
سيرتهاI sent it forth ربعيةspringlike المجتلىin appearance
سيرتها ربعية المجتلى
تندىgrow dewy رباهاits hills بالثناءwith praise البديعexquisite
تندى رباها بالثناء البديع
I sent it forth, springlike to behold,
Her ways are gently enticing
Its hills dewy with exquisite praise.
Her charm refreshed with eloquent praise
فأوْلِهاso grant it باللطفwith kindness عنيon my behalf الرضىapproval
فأوْلِها باللطف عني الرضى
فربَّماfor perhaps قامتit will stand مقامin the place of الشفيعthe intercessor
فربَّما قامت مقام الشفيع
So kindly grant it your approval on my behalf,
So greet her kindly with pleased eyes
For perhaps it will serve as an intercessor
Perhaps she may intercede someday
ليانعfor a flourishing bloom فيamong الزهرthe flowers يدعونهthey call it
ليانع في الزهر يدعونه
قرنفلاًa carnation يمتازstands distinguished فوقabove الجميعall the rest
قرنفلاً يمتاز فوق الجميع
For a flourishing bloom among the flowers, which they call
A blossom in the garden they name
A carnation, distinguished above them all.
Carnation, standing above all the rest
يعصوstands stiffly بجيدwith a neck صعَّرتُهturned it aside الصبَاthe east wind
يعصو بجيد صعَّرتُه الصبَا
وخدهand its cheek يرشحexudes منهfrom it السفيعwine
وخده يرشح منه السفيع
It stands stiffly, its neck turned aside by the east wind,
With neck the morning breeze has tousled
And wine seeps from its cheek.
And cheek where the burnish seeps
يدعوكit calls you مولايmy lord إلىto وصفهdescribing it
يدعوك مولاي إلى وصفه
ودونand below أوصافِكyour descriptions وصفthe description of البديعal-Badiʿ
ودون أوصافِك وصف البديع
It calls you, my lord, to describe it,
My lord calls you to describe him
And al-Badiʿ's description falls short of yours.
Without your descriptions the perfect depiction is missed