هَذاthis كِتابكَyour letter مثلlike المِسكِmusk فيupon الوَرَقِthe paper
هَذا كِتابكَ مثل المِسكِ في الوَرَقِ
أمor لازَوردٍlapis lazuli أَراهُI see it رَشَّsprinkled فيupon الوَرِقِsilver
أم لازَوردٍ أَراهُ رَشَّ في الوَرِقِ
This letter of yours is like musk upon paper,
or lapis lazuli I see sprinkled upon silver?
وَذاكَand that أَحرُفُهits letters فيin نَظمِthe arrangement of أَسطُرِهِits lines
وَذاكَ أَحرُفُه في نَظمِ أَسطُرِهِ
مِنfrom فَوقِabove كاغدهِits paper الإنسانthe pupil فيwithin الحَدَقِthe eyes
مِن فَوقِ كاغدهِ الإنسان في الحَدَقِ
And its letters, arranged within its lines,
upon its paper, are the pupil within the eyes.
أَمor اللآليpearls بِأَسنىwith the finest المسكِmusk إِذwhen صُبِغَتwere dyed
أَم اللآلي بِأَسنى المسكِ إِذ صُبِغَت
حَطّتsettled مِنَof الفِضّةِsilver البيضاءِwhite فيin طَبَقِa platter
حَطّت مِنَ الفِضّةِ البيضاءِ في طَبَقِ
Or pearls, once dyed with the finest musk,
have settled in a platter of white silver?
أَمِor الدراريbrilliant stars طَلَعنَrose اللّيلَat night مُزهِرةflowering
أَمِ الدراري طَلَعنَ اللّيلَ مُزهِرة
تَجريmove عَلىin نَسَقa sequence فيin حُسنbeauty متّسقِharmonious
تَجري عَلى نَسَق في حُسن متّسقِ
Or brilliant stars have risen, flowering in the night,
moving in order, in harmonious beauty?
لَكِنّهاbut they أَخَذتtook لَونَcolor السّماءِthe sky لَهاfor themselves
لَكِنّها أَخَذت لَونَ السّماءِ لَها
وَعَوَّضتهاand compensated it بِهِfor it مِنfrom لَونِهاtheir color اليققِdazzlingly white
وَعَوَّضتها بِهِ مِن لَونِها اليققِ
But they took the sky's color for themselves,
and repaid it for that with their dazzling whiteness.
وَذاand this كَلامكَyour speech مثلَlike الدّرِّpearls مُنتَظِماًstrung in order
وَذا كَلامكَ مثلَ الدّرِّ مُنتَظِماً
مِنof غايَةِthe utmost الحُسنِbeauty بِالأَسمىin the loftiest مِنَof النّسَقِarrangements
مِن غايَةِ الحُسنِ بِالأَسمى مِنَ النّسَقِ
And this speech of yours is like pearls strung together,
in utmost beauty, in the noblest arrangement.
يَحوزُpossesses فَصلَdecisiveness خِطابٍspeech ضِمنهwithin it حكمٌwisdom
يَحوزُ فَصلَ خِطابٍ ضِمنه حكمٌ
مَعَwith السّلاسَةِsmoothness لاnot التعقيدِcomplication والقلقِand unease
مَعَ السّلاسَةِ لا التعقيدِ والقلقِ
It possesses decisive speech, with wisdom within,
with smoothness, not complication or unease.
وَحازَand attained سحرَthe enchantment of بَيانٍexpression مِنfrom بَلاغَتِهِits eloquence
وَحازَ سحرَ بَيانٍ مِن بَلاغَتِهِ
سالَتflowed عُقولُminds الوَرىhumankind خَطفاًsnatched away عَلىtoward أَلَقِradiance
سالَت عُقولُ الوَرى خَطفاً عَلى أَلَقِ
And through its eloquence it attained the enchantment of expression;
human minds flowed, swept away toward its radiance.
وَمِنهُand from it سالَتflowed أَفانينُvaried arts البَلاغَةِeloquence منfrom
وَمِنهُ سالَت أَفانينُ البَلاغَةِ من
أَسنىmost splendid أَساليبِهِits styles فيalong أَحسَنِthe finest الطرقِpaths
أَسنى أَساليبِهِ في أَحسَنِ الطرقِ
And from it flowed the varied arts of eloquence, from
its most splendid styles, along the finest paths.
وَذاand is this بَيانكَyour eloquence أَمor خَمرٌwine يَدورُgoes around بِهاwith it
وَذا بَيانكَ أَم خَمرٌ يَدورُ بِها
بَدرٌa full moon مِنَof الحُسنِbeauty باهيsplendid الخَلقform وَالخُلقِand character
بَدرٌ مِنَ الحُسنِ باهي الخَلق وَالخُلقِ
And is this your eloquence, or wine passed around by
a full moon of beauty, splendid in form and character?
تُزيلُeffaces طَلعَةَthe countenance of أَهلِthe people of الحُسنِbeauty طَلعَتُهُhis countenance
تُزيلُ طَلعَةَ أَهلِ الحُسنِ طَلعَتُهُ
كَطَلعَةِlike the rising of الشّمسِthe sun تَمحوerases دَولَةthe reign of الغَسَقِdarkness
كَطَلعَةِ الشّمسِ تَمحو دَولَة الغَسَقِ
His countenance effaces the countenances of the beautiful,
as the rising sun erases the reign of darkness.
تَرتَدُّrecoil مِنfrom حُسنِهِhis beauty الأَبصارُeyes مضعَفَةweakened
تَرتَدُّ مِن حُسنِهِ الأَبصارُ مضعَفَة
وَقَدand indeed أُعيذَhe was sheltered بِربِّby the Lord of النَّاسِhumankind وَالفلقِand daybreak
وَقَد أُعيذَ بِربِّ النَّاسِ وَالفلقِ
Eyes recoil from his beauty, weakened,
and he has been placed under the protection of the Lord of humankind and daybreak.
مِثلlike السُّلافَةِthe choicest wine فيupon الأَلبابِminds فاعِلَةacting
مِثل السُّلافَةِ في الأَلبابِ فاعِلَة
وَالرّوحand the spirit فيin الجسمِthe body وَالأَفراحand joys فيin الحدقِthe eyes
وَالرّوح في الجسمِ وَالأَفراح في الحدقِ
Like the choicest wine, it acts upon minds,
like the spirit in the body and joys in the eyes.
رَوضa garden مِنَof الحُسنِbeauty أَبكارvirgin forms المعانِmeanings لَهbelonging to it
رَوض مِنَ الحُسنِ أَبكار المعانِ لَه
زَهرflowers مِنَof الحُسنِbeauty يَعلوrises above كَوكَبthe star of الفتقِunfolding
زَهر مِنَ الحُسنِ يَعلو كَوكَب الفتقِ
A garden of beauty; its virgin meanings are
flowers of beauty, rising above the star of unfolding.
مِنfrom كلِّevery مبتكرٍoriginal creation غالٍprecious وَمُنسَجمٍand harmonious
مِن كلِّ مبتكرٍ غالٍ وَمُنسَجمٍ
حالٍsweet وَمُؤتلفand well-knit عَذبٍdelightful ومتّفقِand concordant
حالٍ وَمُؤتلف عَذبٍ ومتّفقِ
Each is original, precious, and harmonious,
sweet, well-knit, delightful, and concordant.
وَذيand these بَلابلnightingales لَفظexpression قَدalready صَدحنَsang عَلىupon
وَذي بَلابل لَفظ قَد صَدحنَ عَلى
دَوحِlofty trees البَلاغَةِeloquence مِنfrom ماءِwater البَديعِrhetorical artistry سُقيwatered
دَوحِ البَلاغَةِ مِن ماءِ البَديعِ سُقي
And these are nightingales of expression, singing upon
eloquence's lofty trees, watered with rhetorical artistry's water.
قَصيدa poem مِنfrom بَناتِdaughters الفِكرِthought قَدalready ظَهَرَتappeared
قَصيد مِن بَناتِ الفِكرِ قَد ظَهَرَت
بِحُلَّةِin the robe of الحُسنِbeauty مثلlike الشّمسِthe sun فيon الأفقِthe horizon
بِحُلَّةِ الحُسنِ مثل الشّمسِ في الأفقِ
A poem from the daughters of thought has appeared
in beauty's robe, like the sun on the horizon.
مَمشوقَةُslender القدِّstature ذاتpossessed of الدلِّcoquettish charm باسِمةsmiling
مَمشوقَةُ القدِّ ذات الدلِّ باسِمة
تَفتَرُّshe smiles عَنrevealing شَنبٍlustrous teeth زاهٍradiant وَعَنand revealing فرقِa gap between teeth
تَفتَرُّ عَن شَنبٍ زاهٍ وَعَن فرقِ
Slender of figure, coquettish, and smiling,
she smiles, revealing radiant teeth and a gap between them.
تَزَيَّنتshe adorned herself بِحليِّwith the jewels of الحُسنِbeauty وَاِتّشحَتand robed herself
تَزَيَّنت بِحليِّ الحُسنِ وَاِتّشحَت
فَأَخجَلَتand so she shamed ربّةthe lady of الأَقراطِearrings وَالحَلقِand hoops
فَأَخجَلَت ربّة الأَقراطِ وَالحَلقِ
She adorned herself with beauty's jewels and robed herself,
and so shamed the lady of earrings and hoops.
تَجريflow المَحاسِنُcharms فيthrough جُثمانِهاher body عَلَناًopenly
تَجري المَحاسِنُ في جُثمانِها عَلَناً
جَريَthe flow of الضّياءِlight بِجِسمِthrough the body of البدرِthe full moon والفلقِand daybreak
جَريَ الضّياءِ بِجِسمِ البدرِ والفلقِ
Her charms flow openly throughout her body,
as light flows through the body of the full moon and daybreak.
ماnot إِنْever تَفَكَّرَpondered ذوpossessor of فَهمٍunderstanding مَعانيهاher meanings
ما إِنْ تَفَكَّرَ ذو فَهمٍ مَعانيها
إِلّاexcept دَعَتهُshe called him لِدومِto lasting السّهدِwakefulness وَالأَرَقِand sleeplessness
إِلّا دَعَتهُ لِدومِ السّهدِ وَالأَرَقِ
No discerning person ever ponders her meanings
without her calling him to lasting wakefulness and sleeplessness.
وَأَصبَحand became العَقلُthe mind مِنهُbecause of it لابِساًclothed in دَهَشاًastonishment
وَأَصبَح العَقلُ مِنهُ لابِساً دَهَشاً
وَأَصبَحand became الطرفُthe eye مِنهُbecause of it لابِسَclothed in البَرَقِdazzlement
وَأَصبَح الطرفُ مِنهُ لابِسَ البَرَقِ
And the mind became clothed in astonishment because of it,
and the eye became clothed in dazzlement because of it.
كَأَنّهاas though she were الرّوضَةthe garden الفَيحاءُspacious ضاحِكَةًlaughing
كَأَنّها الرّوضَة الفَيحاءُ ضاحِكَةً
قَريرةcontented العَينِthe eye غبّafter العارِضِthe rain cloud الغدقِabundantly raining
قَريرة العَينِ غبّ العارِضِ الغدقِ
As though she were a spacious garden, laughing,
her eyes content after the rain cloud's abundant shower.
بَليغةٌeloquent أَخَذَتshe took كلَّall البَلاغَةِeloquence إِذsince
بَليغةٌ أَخَذَت كلَّ البَلاغَةِ إِذ
لَمdid not تُبقِleave مِنهاof it لَهاfor it فيin الدَّهرِall time منany رَمَقِlast breath
لَم تُبقِ مِنها لَها في الدَّهرِ من رَمَقِ
Eloquent, she took all eloquence, since
she left it not a breath of life for all time.
كَأَنّماas though الأَلِفاتُthe alif letters القائِماتُupright بِهاwithin her
كَأَنّما الأَلِفاتُ القائِماتُ بِها
ماwhat دَقّis slender مِنof قَدِّthe stature of غُصنِa branch الآسِmyrtle والحبقِand basil
ما دَقّ مِن قَدِّ غُصنِ الآسِ والحبقِ
As though the upright alif letters within her
were the slender forms of myrtle and basil boughs.
كَأَنّماas though النّقطُthe dots اللّاتيwhich خططنَwere inscribed بِهاupon her
كَأَنّما النّقطُ اللّاتي خططنَ بِها
حَبّاتgrains مِسكٍmusk عَلىon لَوحٍa sheet مِنَof الورقِpaper
حَبّات مِسكٍ عَلى لَوحٍ مِنَ الورقِ
As though the dots inscribed upon her
were grains of musk on a sheet of paper.
ياO حُسنَbeauty of أَسطُرِهاher lines مِنfrom فَوقِabove كاغِدهاher paper
يا حُسنَ أَسطُرِها مِن فَوقِ كاغِدها
وَبَينهاand between them فُرَجٌspaces مِنof أَبيضٍwhite يَققِdazzlingly white
وَبَينها فُرَجٌ مِن أَبيضٍ يَققِ
Oh, the beauty of her lines upon her paper,
and between them, spaces of dazzling white!
قَدindeed ذَكَّرَتنيthey reminded me بَحراًa sea لِلكليمِfor Moses لَدىat
قَد ذَكَّرَتني بَحراً لِلكليمِ لَدى
ضَربِthe striking of العَصاthe staff إِذwhen غَداit became مِنهاthrough it بِمنفلقِin a split state
ضَربِ العَصا إِذ غَدا مِنها بِمنفلقِ
They have reminded me of Moses' sea, at
the striking of the staff, when the sea became split by it.
ياO ذاpossessor of الكَرامَةِhonor إِذsince هاتيكَthat آيَتُهُhis sign
يا ذا الكَرامَةِ إِذ هاتيكَ آيَتُهُ
لِلفَتحِto al-Fath جاءَتit came مِنَfrom الفُرقانِthe Criterion كَالفَلقِlike daybreak
لِلفَتحِ جاءَت مِنَ الفُرقانِ كَالفَلقِ
O man of honor, for that was his sign;
it came to al-Fath from the Criterion, like daybreak.
بَعثتهاyou sent her مِنfrom بَديعِexquisite artistry of النّظمِverse مُعجزةًa miracle
بَعثتها مِن بَديعِ النّظمِ مُعجزةً
لِكلِّfor every فَهمٍmind ذَكيٍّkeen مدركٍperceptive حَذِقِskillful
لِكلِّ فَهمٍ ذَكيٍّ مدركٍ حَذِقِ
You sent her, a miracle of exquisite verse,
for every keen, perceptive, skillful mind.
فَمَنso whoever يَرُمseeks أَنّهthat he يَأتيproduce معارضةًa rival composition
فَمَن يَرُم أَنّه يَأتي معارضةً
بِمِثلِهاwith something like her فَهوَthen he لَمdid not يَقدرِhave the power وَلَمand did not يطقِhave the strength
بِمِثلِها فَهوَ لَم يَقدرِ وَلَم يطقِ
So whoever seeks to produce a rival composition
like her has neither the power nor the strength.
مَنwhoever يَدّعيclaims أَنّهthat he بِالزّعمِby mere assertion عارَضَهاrivaled her
مَن يَدّعي أَنّه بِالزّعمِ عارَضَها
عَلَيهِagainst him قَدalready حَكَمواthey judged بِالجَهلِas ignorant وَالحمقِand foolish
عَلَيهِ قَد حَكَموا بِالجَهلِ وَالحمقِ
Whoever claims, by mere assertion, to have rivaled her,
they have condemned him as ignorant and foolish.
وَكانَand he was فيin هَذِهِthis الدّعوىclaim مُسيلمةًMusaylima
وَكانَ في هَذِهِ الدّعوى مُسيلمةً
مَنwho قَدalready تَسمّىwas called بِكَذّابٍa liar وَمُختَلِقِand a fabricator
مَن قَد تَسمّى بِكَذّابٍ وَمُختَلِقِ
And in this claim he was a Musaylima,
the one called a liar and a fabricator.
مَحَتerased فَصاحَتُهاher eloquence دَعوىthe claim of مُعارِضهاher rival
مَحَت فَصاحَتُها دَعوى مُعارِضها
وَقَدand indeed كَسَتهاclothed it يَداهاher two hands ثَوبَthe garment of مُمتحقِone obliterated
وَقَد كَسَتها يَداها ثَوبَ مُمتحقِ
Her eloquence erased her rival's claim,
and her hands clothed it in the garb of the annihilated.
ياO عارِفَsage of العَصرِthe age ياO بَحرَocean of المَعارفِknowledge ياO
يا عارِفَ العَصرِ يا بَحرَ المَعارفِ يا
حَبرَscholar of العلومِthe sciences بِحُسنِwith beauty of الخَلقform والخُلُقِand character
حَبرَ العلومِ بِحُسنِ الخَلق والخُلُقِ
O sage of the age, O ocean of learning, O
scholar of the sciences, beautiful in form and character!
وَياand O إِماماًimam خَلاfree عَمّنof anyone who يُماثِلُهُequals him
وَيا إِماماً خَلا عَمّن يُماثِلُهُ
وَقَدand already تَقَدَّمadvanced يَبدوappears غَيرَnot مُلتَحَقِovertaken
وَقَد تَقَدَّم يَبدو غَيرَ مُلتَحَقِ
And O imam who has no equal,
and has gone ahead, appearing beyond pursuit!
أَأَنتَare you تُلحَقُbe overtaken فيin فَضلٍexcellence وَفيand in أَدَبٍletters
أَأَنتَ تُلحَقُ في فَضلٍ وَفي أَدَبٍ
وَماand not تَرَكتyou left بِذاthereby شَأواًa goal لِمُستَبقِfor a racer
وَما تَرَكت بِذا شَأواً لِمُستَبقِ
Can you be overtaken in excellence and letters,
when you have thereby left no goal for a rival racer?
فَماfor no one سِواكَbesides you بِمِضمارِon the course of الرّهانِthe contest حَوىwon
فَما سِواكَ بِمِضمارِ الرّهانِ حَوى
ماwhat حُزتyou won مِنof قَصَباتِreeds of السَّبْقِvictory والسَّبَقِand the prize
ما حُزت مِن قَصَباتِ السَّبْقِ والسَّبَقِ
For no one but you, upon the racecourse, has won
the reeds of victory and the prize that you have won.
إِنّيindeed I إِلَيكَto you أَخاO brother of الإِحسانِkindness مُعتَذِرٌapologizing
إِنّي إِلَيكَ أَخا الإِحسانِ مُعتَذِرٌ
وَبابُand the door of عُذريmy excuse لَدَيكُمbefore you غيرnot مُنغَلِقِclosed
وَبابُ عُذري لَدَيكُم غير مُنغَلِقِ
I apologize to you, O brother of kindness,
and the door to my apology before you is not shut,
بِالعَجزِpleading inability عَنfor أَنّنيthat I لَمdid not أَلتَحِقcatch up بِكُموwith you
بِالعَجزِ عَن أَنّني لَم أَلتَحِق بِكُمو
وَالعَجزُand inability عذرٌan excuse جَلِيٌّclear غيرُnot مُنمَحِقِerased
وَالعَجزُ عذرٌ جَلِيٌّ غيرُ مُنمَحِقِ
pleading inability, for I have not caught up with you,
and inability is a clear excuse, not to be erased.
وَكَونand the fact that باعيmy reach قَصيراًshort جَيْرِindeed عفوكَyour pardon ليfor me
وَكَون باعي قَصيراً جَيْرِ عفوكَ لي
بَحرٌan ocean طَويلٌlong وَذوand possessing عرضٍbreadth وَذوand possessing عمقِdepth
بَحرٌ طَويلٌ وَذو عرضٍ وَذو عمقِ
And though my reach is short, indeed your pardon for me
is an ocean, long, broad, and deep.
وَمَأملُand the hope of العُذرِthe excuse أَنthat يُكسىbe clothed in قبولَكُمُyour acceptance
وَمَأملُ العُذرِ أَن يُكسى قبولَكُمُ
حَتّىso that يُردّىit is robed بِهِin it عَنinstead of طمرِهِits ragged garment الخَلِقِthreadbare
حَتّى يُردّى بِهِ عَن طمرِهِ الخَلِقِ
And the hope of my excuse is to be clothed in your acceptance,
so it may be robed in it instead of its threadbare garb.
وَاِسلَمand stay safe وَدُمand remain سيّديmy master تاجاًa crown لأَرؤُسِناfor our heads
وَاِسلَم وَدُم سيّدي تاجاً لأَرؤُسِنا
بِرفعَةِwith loftiness of القدرِrank مثلlike الشّمسِthe sun فيon الأفقِthe horizon
بِرفعَةِ القدرِ مثل الشّمسِ في الأفقِ
Stay safe and remain, my master, a crown for our heads,
lofty in rank, like the sun on the horizon,
فيin أَرغَدِthe most bountiful العَيشِliving مَعwith صَفوٍserenity بِعافِيَةٍin good health
في أَرغَدِ العَيشِ مَع صَفوٍ بِعافِيَةٍ
وَطولِand length of عمرٍlife قَريرcontented العَينِthe eye وَالحدقِand the pupils
وَطولِ عمرٍ قَرير العَينِ وَالحدقِ
in the most bountiful life, serene and in good health,
and long life, with contented eyes and pupils,
مَعwith نَيلِattainment of حسنِgoodness of خِتامٍan ending ثمّand moreover سابِقَةa prior blessing
مَع نَيلِ حسنِ خِتامٍ ثمّ سابِقَة
يَحميكَmay He protect you مِنfrom كلِّevery سوءٍevil خالِقيmy Creator وَيَقيand guard
يَحميكَ مِن كلِّ سوءٍ خالِقي وَيَقي
with a good ending attained, and a prior blessing as well;
may my Creator protect and guard you from every evil,
ماas long as طارَflew طَيرٌbirds وَماand as long as غَنَّتsang صَوادِحُهُtheir songsters
ما طارَ طَيرٌ وَما غَنَّت صَوادِحُهُ
ماas long as الرّيحُthe wind أَلعبتِset playing الأَغصانَthe branches بِالوَرقِwith the leaves
ما الرّيحُ أَلعبتِ الأَغصانَ بِالوَرقِ
as long as birds fly and their songsters sing,
as long as the wind sets the branches playing with the leaves.
Translation model: Sol 6.1