كثرتgrew numerous تواليفيmy writings وماyet there is no منany قادرٍone who values
كثرت تواليفي وما من قادرٍ
My writings have multiplied, yet no one values
I have written prolifically, yet none is capable
Of my wakefulness, refinement, or production,
سهريmy sleeplessness وتنقيحيand my revisions ولاnor إخراجيmy publishing
سهري وتنقيحي ولا إخراجي
my sleepless nights, my revisions, or my publishing,
Except a youth like me, though of what use is he
As long as he follows my path?
إلاexcept فتىa young man مثليlike me وماand what الجدوىthe benefit بهfrom him
إلا فتى مثلي وما الجدوى به
except a young man like me—and what use is he,
The hands loathe to extend to him, though
If given, would lead to ascension.
ماas long as دامhe remains سياراًever journeying علىalong منهاجيmy path
ما دام سياراً على منهاجي
so long as he journeys along my path?
Literature whose wellspring produces useful waters—
The thirsty arts are sated by its gushing fount.
كرهhe hates الأياديthe hands أنthat تمدbe extended لهto him علىwith
كره الأيادي أن تمد له على
He hates hands extended to him with
If I had pursued my methods elsewhere
I’d have filled my coffers with ransoms of gold.
منreminders of favors ولوand even if أدتهthey led him للمعراجto the Ascension
من ولو أدته للمعراج
reminders of favors, even if they lead him to the Ascension.
A land in which the man of letters lives destitute—
His production from wealth and taxes.
أدبliterature تفجرburst forth منهfrom it نبعa spring نافعٌbenefiting
أدب تفجر منه نبع نافعٌ
Literature from which a spring burst forth, benefiting
If one buys my book with a word
Of thanks, I say my harvest was honest.
عطشىthe thirsty الفنونarts بمائهwith its water الثجاجcopiously gushing
عطشى الفنون بمائه الثجاج
the thirsty arts with its gushing water.
لوif فيin سوىother than مصرEgypt اتخذتI adopted مذاهبيmy paths
لو في سوى مصر اتخذت مذاهبي
Had I followed my paths somewhere other than Egypt,
لملأتI would have filled منwith ذهبgold الفدىransom أخراجيmy saddlebags
لملأت من ذهب الفدى أخراجي
I would have filled my saddlebags with ransom gold.
بلدa land بهin it يحياlives الأديبthe writer مضيعاًletting go to waste
بلد به يحيا الأديب مضيعاً
A land where the writer lives, losing
إنتاجهhis output منof ثروةwealth وخراجand revenue
إنتاجه من ثروة وخراج
his work's yield of wealth and revenue.
منwho يشتريwill buy منيfrom me الكتابthe book بلفظةwith a word
من يشتري مني الكتاب بلفظة
Who will buy the book from me with a word
منof شكرهhis gratitude فأقولso I say صحproved sound نتاجيmy work
من شكره فأقول صح نتاجي
of his gratitude, so I may say: 'My work has proved worthwhile'?
Partial English translation: 7 of 14 Arabic lines translated.