وَرُقعَةٍand a note جاءَتكَcame to you مَثنِيَّةًfolded
وَرُقعَةٍ جاءَتكَ مَثنِيَّةً
كَأَنَّهاas though it were خَدٌّa cheek عَلىupon خَدِّa cheek
كَأَنَّها خَدٌّ عَلى خَدِّ
And a note came to you, folded double,
And a note came to you folded,
as though it were cheek laid upon cheek:
As though it were cheek upon cheek:
نَبذُa scattering سَوادٍblackness فيin بَياضٍwhiteness كَماjust as
نَبذُ سَوادٍ في بَياضٍ كَما
ذُرَّwas sprinkled فَتيتُfine particles المِسكِthe musk فيamong الوَردِthe roses
ذُرَّ فَتيتُ المِسكِ في الوَردِ
flecks of black upon white, just as
A scattering of black on white, as
powdered musk is sprinkled among roses.
Powdered musk was sprinkled among roses.
ساهِمَةُsomber الأَسطارِthe lines مَصروفَةٌturned away
ساهِمَةُ الأَسطارِ مَصروفَةٌ
عَنfrom مُلَحِpleasantries الهَزلِjesting إِلىto الجِدِّearnestness
عَن مُلَحِ الهَزلِ إِلى الجِدِّ
Its lines are somber, turned away
Somber in its lines, turned
from the pleasantries of jest to earnestness.
From the pleasantries of jest to earnestness.
ياO كاتِباًwriter أَسلَمَنيhas surrendered me عَتبُهُhis reproach
يا كاتِباً أَسلَمَني عَتبُهُ
إِلَيهِto him حَسبيenough for me مِنكَfrom you ماwhat عِنديI have
إِلَيهِ حَسبي مِنكَ ما عِندي
O scribe, to whom his reproach has handed me over,
O writer, your reproach has surrendered me
what I have from you is enough for me.
To you—what I have from you is enough for me.
