وَقَفتُ عَلى ما جاءَني مِن كِتابِكُم

وَقَفتُ عَلى ما جاءَني مِن كِتابِكُم

وُقوفَ شَحيحٍ ضاعَ في التُربِ خاتِمُه

وُقوفَ شَحيحٍ ضاعَ في التُربِ خاتِمُه

I lingered over the letter that came to me from you,

I stood over what came to me of your book

as a miser lingers whose ring was lost in the dust.

A frugal stand, its ring lost in the soil

كِتابٌ رَأَيتُ الحُسنَ فيهِ مُفَصَّلاً

كِتابٌ رَأَيتُ الحُسنَ فيهِ مُفَصَّلاً

كَما فَصَّلَ الياقوتَ بِالدُرِّ ناظِمُه

كَما فَصَّلَ الياقوتَ بِالدُرِّ ناظِمُه

A letter in which I saw beauty finely arranged,

A book I saw beauty articulated in

as rubies are interspersed with pearls by their stringer.

As ruby is articulated with pearl by its stringer

وَكانَ لَهُ نَشرٌ يَفوحُ وَبَهجَةً

وَكانَ لَهُ نَشرٌ يَفوحُ وَبَهجَةً

كَما اِفتَرَّ عَن زَهرِ الرِياضِ كَمائِمُه

كَما اِفتَرَّ عَن زَهرِ الرِياضِ كَمائِمُه

And it had a fragrance that wafted forth, and a splendor,

It had an unfurling and delight

as their calyxes part to reveal the gardens' blossoms.

As the meadow’s blossoms unfurl their banners

تَضاعَفَ عِندي مِنهُ حينَ قَرَأتُهُ

تَضاعَفَ عِندي مِنهُ حينَ قَرَأتُهُ

مِنَ الشَوقِ وَالتَبريحِ ما اللَهُ عالِمُه

مِنَ الشَوقِ وَالتَبريحِ ما اللَهُ عالِمُه

When I read it, it redoubled within me

It doubled for me when I read it

a longing and torment whose measure God knows.

In yearning and joy, of which God is Knower

وَبادَرَهُ بِالدَمعِ جَفني كَأَنَّهُ

وَبادَرَهُ بِالدَمعِ جَفني كَأَنَّهُ

كَريمٌ رَأى ضَيفاً فَدَرَّت مَكارِمُه

كَريمٌ رَأى ضَيفاً فَدَرَّت مَكارِمُه

And my eyelid hastened to greet it with tears, as though it were

And my eyelids hastened to it with tears

a generous man who saw a guest, whereupon his bounty flowed.

As if it were a generous man who saw a guest and his noble traits hurried forth