وصلَ الكتابُ وكان آنسَ واصلٍ

وصلَ الكتابُ وكان آنسَ واصلٍ

عندي وأحسن قادم ألقاه

عندي وأحسن قادم ألقاه

The letter arrived, and was the most welcome visitor

The book arrived, a gracious messenger

to me, and the finest newcomer I could meet.

Delivered to me, the finest guest I've met

لا شيء أنفَسُ منه مُهدَى جامعاً

لا شيء أنفَسُ منه مُهدَى جامعاً

شَمِلَ المنى إلاّ الذي أهداه

شَمِلَ المنى إلاّ الذي أهداه

No gift is more precious than it, gathering together

Nothing more pleasurable than this gift

all wishes—except the one who gave it.

That fulfilled my every hope and wish

فَفَضَضتُهُ وجعلت ألثمُ كُلَّ ما

فَفَضَضتُهُ وجعلت ألثمُ كُلَّ ما

كتبتهُ أو مرَّت عليه يداه

كتبتهُ أو مرَّت عليه يداه

So I broke its seal and began to kiss all that

I opened it eagerly, tasting every word

his hands had written or passed over.

Written by his hand that graced each page

وفهمت مودَعَهُ فرحت بغبطة

وفهمت مودَعَهُ فرحت بغبطة

جذلان مبتهجاً بما أدّاه

جذلان مبتهجاً بما أدّاه

And I understood its contents and rejoiced with gladness,

I grasped its meaning, rejoicing with delight

joyful, elated by what it conveyed.

At its flowing lines that thrilled my heart

وعجبتُ من لفظٍ تناسق فيه ما

وعجبتُ من لفظٍ تناسق فيه ما

أعلاه ما أجلاه ما أحلاه

أعلاه ما أجلاه ما أحلاه

And I marveled at wording so harmonious within it—how

Amazed was I by its eloquent phrases

lofty it was, how lucid, how sweet!

Sublime, refined, exquisite and pure

ولقد غبِتُ عليه عِلقَ مَضِنَّةٍ

ولقد غبِتُ عليه عِلقَ مَضِنَّةٍ

عُدِمت له الأشكال والأشباه

عُدِمت له الأشكال والأشباه

And indeed I was [envied] for it, a jealously guarded treasure,

Long had I yearned for such precious words

for which no equals or likenesses could be found.

Matchless in form, beyond compare

كالروض باكَرَهُ الحيا فتفَتَّحت

كالروض باكَرَهُ الحيا فتفَتَّحت

أزهاره وتضوّعَت رَيَّاه

أزهاره وتضوّعَت رَيَّاه

Like a garden visited early by rain, so there opened

Like a garden in bloom, alive with flowers

its flowers, and its fragrance wafted forth;

Their petals opened, watered, fresh with dew

كالعقد فُصِّلَ لؤلؤا وزبرجدا

كالعقد فُصِّلَ لؤلؤا وزبرجدا

فتقابلت أولاهُ مَع أخراهُ

فتقابلت أولاهُ مَع أخراهُ

like a necklace set with pearls and chrysolite,

As a necklace of pearls and gems entwined

its first gems matching its last.

Each link connected from end to end

دُرُّ تَرَفَّعَ قَدرُهُ عن قيمة

دُرُّ تَرَفَّعَ قَدرُهُ عن قيمة

منظومة صُغراهُ مع كُبراه

منظومة صُغراهُ مع كُبراه

Pearls whose worth rose beyond all price,

A jewel raised high, beyond all price

their smaller ones strung together with their larger.

Though a simple string, a treasure troved