أياO ابنson of فؤاديmy heart والفؤادand the heart لهُto it الحمدُpraise
أيا ابن فؤادي والفؤاد لهُ الحمدُ
بلغتyou attained منin الآدابliterary arts ماwhat بلغreached القصدُambition
بلغت من الآداب ما بلغ القصدُ
O son of my heart—and to the heart belongs praise—
O son of my heart, for whom all praise is due
You have attained in letters all that ambition can reach.
You have attained the epitome of etiquette and class
وأصبحتand you became للنظمin composing verse البديعexquisite محسناًaccomplished
وأصبحت للنظم البديع محسناً
فقيلso it was said لكto you الحسونHassoun (the goldfinch) والبارعand the virtuoso الفردُthe peerless one
فقيل لك الحسون والبارع الفردُ
And you have become a master of exquisite verse,
And excelled in composing beautiful poetry
So you were called Hassoun—the goldfinch—and the peerless virtuoso.
You are called the most exceptional and gifted one
أتانيcame to me كتابٌa letter منكfrom you تحتbeneath سطورهِits lines
أتاني كتابٌ منك تحت سطورهِ
معانٍmeanings سمتrose high عنof مثلهاtheir like قصرّfell short الجدearnest striving
معانٍ سمت عن مثلها قصرّ الجد
A letter from you reached me; beneath its lines
A letter has reached me, with lines
Were meanings so lofty that striving fell short of their like.
That transcend ordinary meanings and concepts
وفيand in لفظهits wording درٌّpearls حكاهimitated it مقصراًfalling short
وفي لفظه درٌّ حكاه مقصراً
منof الغانياتbeautiful women الثغرthe mouth يفترّopens in a smile والعقدand the necklace
من الغانيات الثغر يفترّ والعقد
And in its wording were pearls, imperfectly imitated
Its words are like pearls, precisely strung
By beauties' smiling mouths and necklaces.
By lips parting like buds in a garden
شفىhealed كبديmy liver الحريburning with thirst وروداًupon arrival وكيفand how لاnot
شفى كبدي الحري وروداً وكيف لا
واقبالand good fortune رزقRizq (provision) اللَهAllah (God) منfrom نظمهhis verse يبدوappears
واقبال رزق اللَه من نظمه يبدو
It healed my burning liver on arrival—and how could it not,
It healed my troubled heart, like a soothing balm
When Rizq Allah's good fortune shines through his verse?
For sustenance from God flows through your poetry
شكوتyou lamented بعاداًseparation والذيand what بتI spent the night اشتكيlamenting
شكوت بعاداً والذي بت اشتكي
منagainst الزمنtime العاديhostile هوit is البينparting والبعدُand distance
من الزمن العادي هو البين والبعدُ
You lamented separation, and my nightly complaint
I complained of distance, though in truth
Against hostile time is parting and distance.
It is the nature of time to separate and divide
ولكننيbut I لماwhen جعلتI made مزاركمyour place of visitation
ولكنني لما جعلت مزاركم
ومثواكمand your dwelling قلبيmy heart تجنبهavoided it الوجدُthe anguish of longing
ومثواكم قلبي تجنبه الوجدُ
But when I made your place of visitation
But I made your home my heart's destination
And your abode my heart, longing's anguish passed it by.
So sorrow cannot reach me anymore
فلاso do not تحسبواconsider بعديmy distance بعاداًseparation وإنماbut rather
فلا تحسبوا بعدي بعاداً وإنما
وداديmy affection لكمfor you قرباًin nearness وبعداًand in distance هوit is الودّlove
ودادي لكم قرباً وبعداً هو الودّ
So do not take my distance for separation; rather,
Think not that distance comes between us
My love for you, near or far, remains love.
For my love and nearness to you is eternal
وإنيand indeed I لأرجوsurely hope كلevery يومٍday لقاكمmeeting you
وإني لأرجو كل يومٍ لقاكم
ولكنbut دهريmy fate شأنهits habit المنعhindrance والصدُand rebuff
ولكن دهري شأنه المنع والصدُ
And each day I truly hope to meet you,
Each day I hope to see you again
But my fate is given to hindrance and rebuff.
But destiny's way is to bar and forbid
فلاso may you never زلتcease to be رزقRizq (provision) اللَهAllah (God) خدنintimate companion of كرامةٍKarama (dignity)
فلا زلت رزق اللَه خدن كرامةٍ
ويصحبكand may accompany you التوفيقsuccess والعزand honor والسعدُand good fortune
ويصحبك التوفيق والعز والسعدُ
So may you ever remain, Rizq Allah, Karama's dear companion,
Still God grants me the honor of your grace
And may success, honor, and good fortune accompany you.
And may you be blessed with success, glory and joy