فدىً لك مجدَ الدين نفسي التي بها

فدىً لك مجدَ الدين نفسي التي بها

إليك غرام الواله المُدنَف الصَبِّ

إليك غرام الواله المُدنَف الصَبِّ

May my soul be your ransom, Majd al-Din—the soul in which

I ransom you with every glory of religion my soul, with which

dwells a distraught, ailing, lovesick lover’s passion for you.

To you the passion of the enamored infatuated youth

أتاني الكتابُ المُستَمَدُّ بيانهُ

أتاني الكتابُ المُستَمَدُّ بيانهُ

من الفطرة العُليا المنيرة باللّب

من الفطرة العُليا المنيرة باللّب

The letter reached me, its eloquence drawn

The book came to me, its eloquence derived

from a lofty nature illumined by intellect.

From the sublime nature, illuminated with fine moisture

تناسب في عقد البلاغة نظمُه

تناسب في عقد البلاغة نظمُه

وفُبصل بين النظم باللؤلؤ الرطب

وفُبصل بين النظم باللؤلؤ الرطب

Its composition was harmonious in the necklace of eloquence,

It matches in the necklace of rhetoric its composition

and [was interspersed] with fresh pearls between its strands.

And beads strung between compositions with moist pearls

حوى الفضلَ حتى لم يدع لمزاحم

حوى الفضلَ حتى لم يدع لمزاحم

سبيلا إليه غيرَ مورده العذب

سبيلا إليه غيرَ مورده العذب

It contained such excellence that it left no rival

It contains virtue until it left no path for an intruder

a path to it except through its sweet wellspring.

Except its sweet watering place

فما ليس منه مستفاد

فما ليس منه مستفاد

كتاب دعيٌ في الرسائل والكتب

كتاب دعيٌ في الرسائل والكتب

Thus, whatever is not derived from it

So what is not derived from it

is a counterfeit work among epistles and books.

A called book among messages and books

وأصحبته عذراً إليّ كأنما

وأصحبته عذراً إليّ كأنما

يعدُّ جزيلَ المكرُمات من الذنب

يعدُّ جزيلَ المكرُمات من الذنب

And you accompanied it with an apology to me, as though

And I took it as an excuse to me as if

lavish deeds of generosity were reckoned a sin.

It counts abundant favors as sins

ومثلك يُولي فضله وهو شاكر

ومثلك يُولي فضله وهو شاكر

ويُسعفُ بالعُتبى وما خاف من عَتب

ويُسعفُ بالعُتبى وما خاف من عَتب

And one like you bestows his bounty while himself giving thanks,

And one like you grants his virtue and is thankful

and offers amends, though he fears no reproach.

And aids the chided without fear of reproach

بقيت جمالا للزمان وأهلهِ

بقيت جمالا للزمان وأهلهِ

وعدة مَن يرجوك في البعد والقرب

وعدة مَن يرجوك في البعد والقرب

May you remain an adornment to the age and its people,

You remained beautiful for the time and its people

and a mainstay for whoever hopes in you, far and near.

And treasure of one who hopes in you from afar and near