رَسائِلُletters صِدقِsincerity إِخوانِbrethren of الصَفاءِpurity
رَسائِلُ صِدقِ إِخوانِ الصَفاءِ
تُجَدِّدُrenews أُنسَcompanionship خُلّانِclose friends of الوَفاءِloyalty
تُجَدِّدُ أُنسَ خُلّانِ الوَفاءِ
Sincere letters from the brethren of purity
The messages of true brothers renew
Renew the fellowship of loyal companions.
The intimacy of loyal friends
وَأَربابُand those devoted to الوَدادِaffection لَهُمthey have قُلوبٌhearts
وَأَربابُ الوَدادِ لَهُم قُلوبٌ
يُذيبُmelts صَميمَهاtheir very core فَرطُexcess of الجَفاءِestrangement
يُذيبُ صَميمَها فَرطُ الجَفاءِ
And those devoted to affection have hearts
And people of affection, their hearts
Whose very core excessive estrangement melts.
Are melted by the excess of estrangement
فَشَرِّفso honor us بِالحُضورِwith your presence فَإِنَّfor indeed قَلبيmy heart
فَشَرِّف بِالحُضورِ فَإِنَّ قَلبي
يُؤَمِّلُhopes for مِنكَfrom you ساعاتِhours of اللِقاءِmeeting
يُؤَمِّلُ مِنكَ ساعاتِ اللِقاءِ
So honor us with your presence, for my heart
So honor us with your presence, for my heart
Hopes for hours of meeting with you.
Hopes for hours of meeting with you
وَحَيِّand come عَلىto المُدامِthe wine وَلاand do not تَبِعهاsell it
وَحَيِّ عَلى المُدامِ وَلا تَبِعها
بِماfor whatever فَوقَabove الثَرىthe soil لَكَis yours مِنof ثَراءِwealth
بِما فَوقَ الثَرى لَكَ مِن ثَراءِ
And come to the wine, and do not sell it
And greet the wine, but do not follow it
For whatever wealth is yours above the soil.
With what is above the soil, you have enough wealth
فَقَدfor indeed وَشّىembroidered الرَبيعُspring لَناfor us رُبوعاًgrounds
فَقَد وَشّى الرَبيعُ لَنا رُبوعاً
فَوَشَّعَهاso adorned them كَتَوشيعِlike the adornment of الرِداءِa cloak
فَوَشَّعَها كَتَوشيعِ الرِداءِ
For spring has embroidered grounds for us,
For spring has adorned meadows for us
And adorned them as one adorns a cloak.
And spread them out like spreading a cloak
وَنَحنُand we بِمَنزِلٍin a dwelling لاno نَقصَdeficiency فيهِin it
وَنَحنُ بِمَنزِلٍ لا نَقصَ فيهِ
رَحيبِspacious in الرَبعِgrounds مُرتَفِعِlofty in البِناءِstructure
رَحيبِ الرَبعِ مُرتَفِعِ البِناءِ
And we are in a dwelling lacking nothing,
And we are in a house that lacks nothing
Spacious in its grounds, lofty in its structure.
With a spacious yard and high construction
وَفيand in داريmy house بُخارِيٌّa fireplace وَخَيشٌand a sackcloth screen
وَفي داري بُخارِيٌّ وَخَيشٌ
أُعِدّاboth prepared لِلمَصيفِfor summer وَلِلشِتاءِand for winter
أُعِدّا لِلمَصيفِ وَلِلشِتاءِ
And in my house are a fireplace and a sackcloth screen,
And in my house is a stove and mats
Both prepared for summer and winter.
Prepared for summer and for winter
فَهَذاso this one فيهِin it شاذُروانُa fountain of نارٍfire
فَهَذا فيهِ شاذُروانُ نارٍ
وَهَذاand this one فيهِin it شاذُروانُa fountain of ماءِwater
وَهَذا فيهِ شاذُروانُ ماءِ
So this one holds a fountain of fire,
One has burning embers
And that one holds a fountain of water.
And one has flowing water
وَمَنظَرَةٍand a viewing chamber بِهاin it شُبّاكُa window of جامِglass
وَمَنظَرَةٍ بِها شُبّاكُ جامِ
رَقيقِthin in الجِرمِsubstance مُعتَدِلِeven in الصَفاءِclarity
رَقيقِ الجِرمِ مُعتَدِلِ الصَفاءِ
And a viewing chamber with a window of glass,
And a balcony in which are windows
Thin in substance and evenly clear.
Of delicate body and pure air
يَرُدُّkeeps out البَردَthe cold وَالأَهواءَand winds عَنّاfrom us
يَرُدُّ البَردَ وَالأَهواءَ عَنّا
وَيَأذَنُand gives leave لِلأَشِعَّةِto the rays وَالضِياءِand light
وَيَأذَنُ لِلأَشِعَّةِ وَالضِياءِ
It keeps the cold and winds away from us,
It repels the cold and drafts from us
And admits the rays and light.
And allows rays and light in
وَبِركَتُناand our pool بِهاin it فَوّارُa jet of ماءٍwater
وَبِركَتُنا بِها فَوّارُ ماءٍ
يُجيدُexcels at القَصدَaiming فيin طَلَبِseeking السَماءِthe sky
يُجيدُ القَصدَ في طَلَبِ السَماءِ
And in our pool a jet of water
And our blessing in it is gushing water
Aims true in its pursuit of the sky.
That excels in seeking the sky
إِذاwhen سَفَرَunveils itself الصَباحُmorning لَهاto it أَضاءَتit shines
إِذا سَفَرَ الصَباحُ لَها أَضاءَت
بِماءٍwith water مِثلِlike مَسرودِinterlinked الأَضاءِpools
بِماءٍ مِثلِ مَسرودِ الأَضاءِ
When morning unveils itself to it, it shines
When morning travels to it, it lights up
With water like pools linked in a chain.
With water like pouring light
وَشادٍand a singer يُرجِعُrenders الصَهباءَthe tawny wine سَكرَىdrunk
وَشادٍ يُرجِعُ الصَهباءَ سَكرَى
بِماwith what يُبديهِhe brings it forth مِنof طيبِsweetness of الغِناءِsinging
بِما يُبديهِ مِن طيبِ الغِناءِ
And a singer who renders the tawny wine drunk
And a regulator that returns the hungover drunk
With the sweetness of the singing he brings forth.
With what he expresses of beautiful singing
وَساقٍand a cupbearer مِنfrom بَنيthe sons of الأَعرابِthe Bedouin طَفلٍtender-skinned
وَساقٍ مِن بَني الأَعرابِ طَفلٍ
يَزينُhe adorns الحُسنَthe beauty مِنهُin him بِالذَكاءِwith brilliance
يَزينُ الحُسنَ مِنهُ بِالذَكاءِ
And a tender-skinned cupbearer from the sons of the Bedouin,
And a lad from the nomad Arabs whose beauty
Who adorns his beauty with brilliance:
Is adorned by intelligence
ذَكاءُkeenness of قَريحَةٍnatural wit وَذَكاءُand intensity of نَشرٍfragrance
ذَكاءُ قَريحَةٍ وَذَكاءُ نَشرٍ
وَأَنوارٌand lights تَفوقُsurpass عَلىabove ذُكاءِDhukā, the sun
وَأَنوارٌ تَفوقُ عَلى ذُكاءِ
Keenness of mind and richness of fragrance,
The intelligence of talent and intelligence of cheer
And lights that outshine Dhukā, the sun.
And lights that surpass intelligence
وَراحٌand wine تَعبَقُgrow fragrant الأَرجاءُthe surroundings مِنهاfrom it
وَراحٌ تَعبَقُ الأَرجاءُ مِنها
كَأَنَّas though أَريجَهاits fragrance طيبُthe perfume of الثَناءِpraise
كَأَنَّ أَريجَها طيبُ الثَناءِ
And wine whose fragrance fills the surroundings,
And a breeze whose surroundings are fragrant
As though its aroma were the perfume of praise.
As if its aroma is the scent of praise
إِذاwhen اِتَّحَدَتit unites بِجِرمِwith the body of الكَأسِthe cup أَخفَتit conceals
إِذا اِتَّحَدَت بِجِرمِ الكَأسِ أَخفَت
بِساطِعِwith the radiance of نورِهاits light جِرمَthe body of الإِناءِthe vessel
بِساطِعِ نورِها جِرمَ الإِناءِ
When it unites with the body of the cup, it conceals
When united with the body of the cup it dims
With its radiant light the body of the vessel.
With its shining light the body of the vessel
تُعَظَّمُenhances قَدرَthe worth of كُلَّevery سَليمِsound in طَبعٍtemperament
تُعَظَّمُ قَدرَ كُلَّ سَليمِ طَبعٍ
وَتُصغِرُand diminishes قَدرَthe worth of أَهلِpeople of الكِبرِياءِarrogance
وَتُصغِرُ قَدرَ أَهلِ الكِبرِياءِ
It enhances the worth of all whose nature is sound,
It magnifies the worth of every sound-natured one
And diminishes the worth of the arrogant.
And lessens the worth of the arrogant
وَقَدand indeed سَتَرَveiled السَحابُthe clouds ذُكاDhukā, the sun وَفُضَّتand were unfurled
وَقَد سَتَرَ السَحابُ ذُكا وَفُضَّت
جَلابيبُcloaks of الغُيومِthe clouds عَلىacross الفَضاءِthe expanse
جَلابيبُ الغُيومِ عَلى الفَضاءِ
And clouds have veiled Dhukā, and unfurled
The clouds have covered Dhukā and poured down
Across the expanse are the clouds' cloaks.
The robes of clouds upon the horizon
سَماءٌa sky بِالغُيومِwith clouds شَبيهُresembling أَرضٍearth
سَماءٌ بِالغُيومِ شَبيهُ أَرضٍ
وَأَرضٌand earth بِالخَمائِلِwith groves كَالسَماءِlike the sky
وَأَرضٌ بِالخَمائِلِ كَالسَماءِ
A sky that, with its clouds, resembles earth,
A sky with clouds is like land
And earth that, with its groves, resembles sky.
And land with tents is like the sky
فَهُبَّso rise إِلىto المُدامِthe wine فَإِنَّfor indeed فيهاin it
فَهُبَّ إِلى المُدامِ فَإِنَّ فيها
شِفاءًa cure عِندَat مُنقَلِبِa change in الهَواءِthe weather
شِفاءً عِندَ مُنقَلِبِ الهَواءِ
So rise to the wine, for in it lies
So come to the wine, for in it is
A cure when the weather changes.
A cure at the change of air
إِذاwhen دُرِئَتare warded off بِهاwith it الأَدواءُailments جاءَتit brings
إِذا دُرِئَت بِها الأَدواءُ جاءَت
بِماwhat يُغنيكَspares you عَنfrom شُربِdrinking الدَواءِmedicine
بِما يُغنيكَ عَن شُربِ الدَواءِ
When ailments are warded off with it, it brings
When diseases are warded off by it, it comes
What spares you from drinking medicine.
With what makes you needless of medicine
وَقَدand indeed زُرناكَwe visited you فيon أَمسٍyesterday فَزُرناso visit us
وَقَد زُرناكَ في أَمسٍ فَزُرنا
نَكُنwe shall be عِندَin الزِيارَةِvisiting بِالسَواءِon equal terms
نَكُن عِندَ الزِيارَةِ بِالسَواءِ
And we visited you yesterday, so visit us,
And we visited you yesterday, so visit us
That we may be equal in our visits.
And we will be equal in visiting
فَشَرطُfor the condition of الراحِwine أَنthat تَدعوyou invite وَتُدعىand are invited
فَشَرطُ الراحِ أَن تَدعو وَتُدعى
فَتُسعِفُso you oblige بِالإِجابَةِby accepting وَالدُعاءِand by inviting
فَتُسعِفُ بِالإِجابَةِ وَالدُعاءِ
For wine's condition is that you invite and be invited,
For the condition of comfort is to invite and be invited
So oblige by accepting and extending invitations.
And to respond with inviting and supplicating