كَتَبْتُ بِمَكْتَبٍ أَبْيَاتَ شِعْرٍِ

كَتَبْتُ بِمَكْتَبٍ أَبْيَاتَ شِعْرٍِ

تُفِيدُ أَخَا النُّهَى مَرَحاً وَزَهْوَا

تُفِيدُ أَخَا النُّهَى مَرَحاً وَزَهْوَا

I wrote some lines of verse at a school,

I wrote in prose some verses of poetry

I penned verses of poetry in a study,

That bring a man of understanding merriment and pride.

That may benefit a brother seeking joy and amusement

Bestowing joy and exaltation upon the man of wisdom.

يُمِيتُ بَدِيعُهُنَّ كُلَّ وَصْفٍ

يُمِيتُ بَدِيعُهُنَّ كُلَّ وَصْفٍ

لَهُ فَاتْرُكْ بُحَيْرَ الْوَصْفِ رَهْوَا

لَهُ فَاتْرُكْ بُحَيْرَ الْوَصْفِ رَهْوَا

Their wondrous artistry puts every description to death

Their eloquence outshines any description

Their wondrous beauty lays every description to rest,

Of it; so leave the little sea of description undisturbed.

So leave confusing descriptions be

So leave the little sea of description completely still.

وَقُلْ مَتْلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ وَاكْفُفْ

وَقُلْ مَتْلَى كِتَابِ اللهِ وَاكْفُفْ

وَفَارِقْ مَنْ سَهَا فِي الْوَصْفِ سَهْوَا

وَفَارِقْ مَنْ سَهَا فِي الْوَصْفِ سَهْوَا

And say, 'A place for reciting God's Book,' and refrain;

And say the recitation of God's book is enough

Say, 'It is the recitation of God's Book,' and hold your peace,

And part from whoever errs heedlessly in description.

And part from one who errantly describes in amusement

And part ways with him who carelessly errs in description.

وَتَمَّ بِنَاؤُهُ إِذَ شَقَّ حَيٌّ

وَتَمَّ بِنَاؤُهُ إِذَ شَقَّ حَيٌّ

جُيُوبَ قَمِيصِهِ طَرَباً وَلَهْوَا

جُيُوبَ قَمِيصِهِ طَرَباً وَلَهْوَا

And its construction was completed when a living man tore

And it was complete when Hayy

Its composition was completed when a living soul tore

The neck-openings of his shirt in rapture and play.

Tore his shirt in ecstasy and play

The collar of his shirt out of ecstasy and delight.