آسُmyrtle العِذارِcheek-down علىon خَدَّيهِhis two cheeks قدalready كَتَباwrote
آسُ العِذارِ على خَدَّيهِ قد كَتَبا
حَديثَthe tale فتنَتِهِhis enchantment الكُبرَىgreat فماand not كَذَباlied
حَديثَ فتنَتِهِ الكُبرَى فما كَذَبا
The myrtle of his cheek-down has written on his cheeks
The tears of passion on his cheeks have written
The tale of his great enchantment, and it has not lied.
The tale of his greatest temptation, and they did not lie
ماnot زالَceased يخضَرُّgrows green ذاكthat الآسُthe myrtle مُزدهياًflourishing
ما زالَ يخضَرُّ ذاك الآسُ مُزدهياً
وكيفَand how يَخضَرُّgrows green نبتٌa plant جاوَرَgrew beside اللهَباthe flame
وكيفَ يَخضَرُّ نبتٌ جاوَرَ اللهَبا
Still that myrtle grows green, luxuriant—
That tear ever stays green and thriving
And how can a plant grow green beside a flame?
How can a plant stay green when it neighbors flame?
فَتىًa youth منَof العَرَبِthe Arabs العَرْباءpure-blooded مَنطِقُهُhis speech
فَتىً منَ العَرَبِ العَرْباء مَنطِقُهُ
لكنِbut شَمائِلهُhis manners لاnot تَعرِفُknow العَرَباthe Arabs
لكنِ شَمائِلهُ لا تَعرِفُ العَرَبا
A youth whose speech is that of the pure-blooded Arabs,
A youth of eloquent Arabic though not Arabian traits
Yet whose manners know nothing of the Arabs.
Of tender youth yet balanced wisdom and wit so bright
غَضُّfresh الصِّباyouth لَيِّنُsupple الأعطافِthe limbs مُعتَدلٌwell-proportioned
غَضُّ الصِّبا لَيِّنُ الأعطافِ مُعتَدلٌ
لهُhe has فَكاهةُdelight رَيحانٍbasil ولُطفُand gentleness صَبَاan east wind
لهُ فَكاهةُ رَيحانٍ ولُطفُ صَبَا
Fresh in youth, supple of limbs, well proportioned,
My passion for him leads me from verse to play
He has the delight of basil and the gentleness of the east wind.
His letters come as stars streaming in the night
ماnot زالَceased وَجديmy passion بهِfor him يَنقادُis led عنby سَبَبٍa cause
ما زالَ وَجدي بهِ يَنقادُ عن سَبَبٍ
حَتَّىuntil رأيتُI found لزُهديfor my renunciation فيin الهَوَىlove سَبَباa reason
حَتَّى رأيتُ لزُهدي في الهَوَى سَبَبا
My passion for him was always guided by some cause,
Until I found a reason to renounce love.
So beautifully composed in ink as precious as gold
لَهَوْتُI was diverted عنfrom غَزَلٍlove verse فيهِabout him بعارضةٍby an interlude
لَهَوْتُ عن غَزَلٍ فيهِ بعارضةٍ
منof النَّسيبِlove poetry بخَوْدٍto a maiden تَفتِنُenchants الأُدَباmen of letters
من النَّسيبِ بخَوْدٍ تَفتِنُ الأُدَبا
I was diverted from love verse about him by an interlude
God bless the author whose pen creates such joy untold
Of love poetry to a maiden who enchants men of letters:
His wisdom is supreme enlightening minds
رِسالةٌa letter منfrom ضواحيoutlying districts مِصرَEgypt قدalready وَرَدَتْarrived
رِسالةٌ من ضواحي مِصرَ قد وَرَدَتْ
كأنَّهاas though it were فَلَكٌa celestial sphere قدalready ضُمِّنَwas filled with الشُّهُباshining stars
كأنَّها فَلَكٌ قد ضُمِّنَ الشُّهُبا
A letter has arrived from Egypt's outlying districts,
His teaching is as water quenching thirsts to find
As though it were a celestial sphere filled with shining stars.
A servant added to the Guided One gained guidance
بديعةُexquisite النَّظمِcomposition خُطَّتْwas written بالمِدادِin ink ولوyet had
بديعةُ النَّظمِ خُطَّتْ بالمِدادِ ولو
أصابَdone rightly كاتِبُهاits writer أجرَىmade flow لهاfor it الذَهَباgold
أصابَ كاتِبُها أجرَى لها الذَهَبا
Exquisitely composed, it was written in ink; yet had
From his Lord and Master all his knowledge was absorbed
Its writer done it justice, he would have made gold flow for it.
The strongest pillar of faith, highest peak
للهِto God, in admiration منof كاتبٍa writer أقلامُهُhis pens نَظَمَتْstrung
للهِ من كاتبٍ أقلامُهُ نَظَمَتْ
عِقْدَa necklace اللآليpearls بلاwithout سِمطٍa thread فواعَجبَاand what a marvel
عِقْدَ اللآلي بلا سِمطٍ فواعَجبَا
What a writer, by God! His pens have strung
Most generous hand, the best of all mankind
A necklace of pearls without a thread—what a marvel!
Quick in word and gesture, in glance and touch
يَفْتَنُّvaries his art فيin فِتنةِenchanting الألبابِminds مُبتدعاًinventively
يَفْتَنُّ في فِتنةِ الألبابِ مُبتدعاً
إذاwhenever قَضَىjudges أوor رَوَىnarrates أوor خَطَّwrites أوor خَطَباorates
إذا قَضَى أو رَوَى أو خَطَّ أو خَطَبا
He inventively excels in captivating minds,
When the polished sword is drawn his actions match
Whenever he judges, narrates, writes, or orates.
Like the sea pouring, the dawn rising,
مُهذّبٌcultivated تَرفَعُexalts الأوهامُimagination حِكمَتَهُhis wisdom
مُهذّبٌ تَرفَعُ الأوهامُ حِكمَتَهُ
حَزْماًin sound judgment إذاwhen قامَhe stood للتَّدريسِto teach مُنتصِباupright
حَزْماً إذا قامَ للتَّدريسِ مُنتصِبا
A cultivated man whose wisdom imagination exalts,
The arrow in flight, the rain falling unchecked
For its sound judgment when he stands upright to teach.
Easy going, no anger can shake his calm
يَقضىis judged لهُfor him حينَwhen يُفتيgives legal rulings فيin مَجالِسِهِhis assemblies
يَقضى لهُ حينَ يُفتي في مَجالِسِهِ
بالسَّبْقِwith preeminence مِمَّنby whoever رأىsaw فيin كَفِّهِhis palm القَصَباthe reed pen
بالسَّبْقِ مِمَّن رأى في كَفِّهِ القَصَبا
When he gives rulings in his assemblies, he is credited
I imagine no wrath could his temper arouse
With preeminence by whoever has seen the reed pen in his palm.
He overlooks ignorance with patience and grace
عبدٌa servant أُضيفَwas joined إلىto الهاديal-Hadi, the Guide فَنالَand thus gained هُدىًguidance
عبدٌ أُضيفَ إلى الهادي فَنالَ هُدىً
منَfrom المُضافِthe one joined إليهِto him كانَwas مُكتَسَباacquired
منَ المُضافِ إليهِ كانَ مُكتَسَبا
'Abd'—a servant—joined to al-Hadi, the Guide, thus gained guidance
His eyes perceive what's hidden behind the veils
Acquired from the one to whom his name was joined.
He wished goodness for himself thus rising
أقوَىstrongest الوَرَىmankind سَنداًin support أعلىloftiest الذُرَىthe summits عُمُداًin pillars
أقوَى الوَرَى سَنداً أعلى الذُرَى عُمُداً
أنَدىmost generous الكِرامِthe noble يداًin hand خيرُbest الأنامِmankind أباin parentage
أنَدى الكِرامِ يداً خيرُ الأنامِ أبا
Strongest of mankind in support, loftiest of summits in his pillars,
Through ranks above the lofty and sublime
Most generous-handed of the noble, best of mankind in parentage.
One stays where God wills, the star seems under water
طَلْقُfluent اليَراعةِthe reed pen طَلْقُcheerful الوَجهِthe face طَلْقُopen يَدٍhand
طَلْقُ اليَراعةِ طَلْقُ الوَجهِ طَلْقُ يَدٍ
طَلْقُfluent اللِسانِthe tongue إذاwhen السَّيفُthe sword الصَقيلُpolished نباfailed to cut
طَلْقُ اللِسانِ إذا السَّيفُ الصَقيلُ نبا
Fluent of pen, cheerful of face, open of hand,
When shall we visit our wise Mufti so great?
Fluent of tongue when the polished sword fails to cut.
See Imam Abu Hanifa teaching from his prayer niche
كالبحرِlike the sea مُندَفِقاًsurging والصُبحِand the dawn مُنبَثقاًbreaking
كالبحرِ مُندَفِقاً والصُبحِ مُنبَثقاً
والسَهمِand the arrow مُنطلقاًspeeding والغيثِand the rain مُنسكباpouring down
والسَهمِ مُنطلقاً والغيثِ مُنسكبا
Like the surging sea and the breaking dawn,
Students draw his knowledge like clouds pull up rain
And the speeding arrow and the pouring rain.
A treasure enriching both rich and poor
سَهْلُgentle الخلائِقِin character لاnot يَهْتاجُهُstirs him غَضَبٌanger
سَهْلُ الخلائِقِ لا يَهْتاجُهُ غَضَبٌ
حتىso that تَوهَّمتُهُI imagined him لاnot يَعرِفُknows الغَضبَاanger
حتى تَوهَّمتُهُ لا يَعرِفُ الغَضبَا
Gentle in character, stirred by no anger,
Gifts overflowing however much is withdrawn
So that I imagined he did not know anger.
A sea extending over the land of Egypt
يُغضِيcloses his eye عنto الجَهلِfolly منfrom حِلمٍforbearance ومَكرُمةٍand nobility
يُغضِي عن الجَهلِ من حِلمٍ ومَكرُمةٍ
عَيناًan eye لهاit has لَحَظاتُglances تَخرُقُpierce الحُجُباthe veils
عَيناً لها لَحَظاتُ تَخرُقُ الحُجُبا
He closes his eye to folly, through forbearance and nobility—
Reaching Syria even beyond Aleppo
An eye whose glances pierce the veils.
He brought us homes, each tent peg hammered
أرادَhe wished للنفسِfor the soul وَضعاًa lowly place منout of وَداعتِهِhis meekness
أرادَ للنفسِ وَضعاً من وَداعتِهِ
يوماًone day فطارَتْthen it soared بهاwith it فوقَabove العُلَىthe heights رُتَباin rank
يوماً فطارَتْ بها فوقَ العُلَى رُتَبا
Out of his meekness he wished his soul a lowly place
Extending ties between us, closing the gap
One day; yet that meekness bore it to ranks above the heights.
We long to see Egypt and to see him
لاnot يَبرَحُleaves المَرْءُa person حيثُwhere اللهُGod يَجعَلُهُplaces him
لا يَبرَحُ المَرْءُ حيثُ اللهُ يَجعَلُهُ
ومَنْand who رأىhas seen النَّجْمَthe star تحتَbeneath الماءِthe water قدalready رَسَباsank
ومَنْ رأى النَّجْمَ تحتَ الماءِ قد رَسَبا
A man does not leave the place where God sets him,
We wait for winds to bring word and news to us
And who has seen a star sink beneath the water?
Imagination paints those lands before our eyes
مَتَىwhenever تَزُرْyou visit شَيخَناour sheikh المُفتِيthe mufti الكبيرَgreat تَرَىyou see
مَتَى تَزُرْ شَيخَنا المُفتِي الكبيرَ تَرَى
أباAbu, father of حَنيفةَHanifa فيin مِحرابهِhis prayer niche انتَصَباstood upright
أبا حَنيفةَ في مِحرابهِ انتَصَبا
Whenever you visit our sheikh, the great mufti, you see
As if we've reached its sweet and gentle Nile
Abu Hanifa standing upright in his prayer niche.
Rare meetings make us send more missives
تَرَىyou see التلامِيذَthe students تَستمليtake dictation of فوائِدَهُhis teachings
تَرَى التلامِيذَ تَستملي فوائِدَهُ
كأنَّهُas though he were البحرُthe sea يَسقِيgives drink to ماؤُهُits water السُحُباthe clouds
كأنَّهُ البحرُ يَسقِي ماؤُهُ السُحُبا
You see the students taking dictation of his teachings,
Like one without water who makes his ablution with sand
As though he were the sea, whose water gives the clouds drink.
When unable to reach loved ones, use letters
كَنْزُa treasure العُلومِknowledge الذيwhich يَغنَىgrows rich الفقيرُthe poor person بهِthrough it
كَنْزُ العُلومِ الذي يَغنَى الفقيرُ بهِ
منَfrom العطَاياthe gifts ويَبقَىand remains فوقُmore than ماwhat ذَهَباhas gone
منَ العطَايا ويَبقَى فوقُ ما ذَهَبا
A treasure of knowledge, through which the poor grow rich
For those without horses, books can bear affection
From its gifts, while more remains than has been given away.
بحرٌa sea علىon أرضِthe land of مِصرٍEgypt مَدَّspread لُجّتَهُhis deep waters
بحرٌ على أرضِ مِصرٍ مَدَّ لُجّتَهُ
فنالَتِand so reached الشَّامَthe Levant حتىuntil جاوَزَتْpassed beyond حَلَباAleppo
فنالَتِ الشَّامَ حتى جاوَزَتْ حَلَبا
A sea upon Egypt's soil, he spread his deep waters,
Which reached the Levant and even passed beyond Aleppo.
أهدَىgifted إليناto us بُيوتاًverses كُلَّماwhenever ضَرَبتْthey drove
أهدَى إلينا بُيوتاً كُلَّما ضَرَبتْ
طَيَّwithin the folds of الحَشاthe heart وَتداًa peg مَدّتthey stretched لهُto it سَبَباa cord
طَيَّ الحَشا وَتداً مَدّت لهُ سَبَبا
He sent us verses that, whenever they drove
A peg into the heart's folds, stretched a cord to it.
بتناwe spent the night نتوقُwe yearn إلىfor مصرEgypt لرؤيتهto see him
بتنا نتوقُ إلى مصر لرؤيته
ونرصدand we watch الرِّيحthe wind تأتيcomes لناto us بِنَبَاwith news
ونرصد الرِّيح تأتي لنا بِنَبَا
We spent the night longing for Egypt, to see him,
And watched for the wind to bring us news.
يمثِّلُpictures الوهمُimagination هاتيكَthose الديارَlands لناfor us
يمثِّلُ الوهمُ هاتيكَ الديارَ لنا
حتىuntil كأنَّاas though we وَرَدْناwe came for water نيلَهاtheir Nile العَذِباsweet
حتى كأنَّا وَرَدْنا نيلَها العَذِبا
Imagination pictures those lands to us,
Until we seem to have come to drink at their sweet Nile.
عَزَّwas difficult اللقاءُmeeting فرَدَّدْناso we exchanged رَسائِلَناour letters
عَزَّ اللقاءُ فرَدَّدْنا رَسائِلَنا
كمنlike one who تَيَمَّمَperformed dry ablution حيثُwhere الماءُthe water قدalready نَضبَاran dry
كمن تَيَمَّمَ حيثُ الماءُ قد نَضبَا
Meeting was difficult, so we exchanged our letters,
Like one performing dry ablution where the water has run dry.
منwhoever ليسَis not يقدِرُable فيin وَصلِreaching الأحبَّةِloved ones أنْto
من ليسَ يقدِرُ في وَصلِ الأحبَّةِ أنْ
يَستَخِدمَuse الخيلَhorses فَلْيَستخْدِمِthen let him use الكُتبُاletters
يَستَخِدمَ الخيلَ فَلْيَستخْدِمِ الكُتبُا
Whoever cannot, in reaching his loved ones,
Make use of horses, let him make use of letters.
Partial English translation: 44 of 58 Arabic lines translated.