يقرِّبنَthey bring closer طلابseekers of العُلاglory منto سمائهاits heaven
يقرِّبنَ طلاب العُلا من سمائها
ويُهدينَand they guide رُوَّادseekers of النَّدىbounty لجوادهاto its generous giver
ويُهدينَ رُوَّاد النَّدى لجوادها
They bring seekers of glory closer to its heaven,
and guide seekers of bounty to its generous giver.
فلاقَينَso they met مولاناour lord وقدand already صَنَعَhad done السُّرىnight travel
فلاقَينَ مولانا وقد صَنَعَ السُّرى
بهنَّto them صنيعthe deed of كفهhis hand بِتَلادهَاto its long-held wealth
بهنَّ صنيع كفه بِتَلادهَا
So they met our lord, night travel having done
to them what his hand does to its long-held wealth.
ولاand no ذنبَfault للأفكارِlies with thoughts أنتَyou تَرَكتَهاyou left them
ولا ذنبَ للأفكارِ أنتَ تَرَكتَها
إذاwhen احتَشدَتthey gathered لمnot تُنتَفعَbenefit is gained باحِتشَادِهاfrom their gathering
إذا احتَشدَت لم تُنتَفعَ باحِتشَادِها
And thoughts are not to blame: you have left them;
when they gather, no benefit comes from their gathering.
سَبَقتَyou led the way بأفرادِwith unique instances of المعانيmeanings وأَلَّفتand brought together
سَبَقتَ بأفرادِ المعاني وأَلَّفت
خواطرُكَyour thoughts الألفاظَthe words بعدafter شِرادِهَاtheir wandering
خواطرُكَ الألفاظَ بعد شِرادِهَا
You led the way with unique meanings; and gathered together
by your thoughts were the words after their wandering.
فإنso if نحنwe حَاوَلناwe tried اختراعَinventing بديعةٍa novel marvel
فإن نحن حَاوَلنا اختراعَ بديعةٍ
حَصَلناwe obtained علىupon مَسرُوِقهاits stolen form ومُعَادِهاand its repeated form
حَصَلنا على مَسرُوِقها ومُعَادِها
So if we try to invent a marvel,
we obtain only its stolen and repeated forms.