قُلsay لِاِبنِto Ibn نَصرِNasr ياذاO possessor of العَطاءِbounty وَياand O
قُل لِاِبنِ نَصرِ ياذا العَطاءِ وَيا
مِفتاحَkey to بابِthe gate of الرَجاءِhope وَالفَرَجِand relief
مِفتاحَ بابِ الرَجاءِ وَالفَرَجِ
Say to Ibn Nasr: O man of bounty, and O
key to the gate of hope and relief,
وَمَنand one who سَجاياهُhis virtues لِلعُفايُfor seekers of bounty إِذاwhen
وَمَن سَجاياهُ لِلعُفايُ إِذا
أَظلَمَgrows dark لَيلُthe night of الآمالِhopes كَالسُرُجِlike lamps
أَظلَمَ لَيلُ الآمالِ كَالسُرُجِ
and you whose virtues, for supplicants, when
the night of hopes darkens, are like lamps:
ماذاwhat تَرىdo you think فيof فَتىa young man لَهُhe has أَدَبٌrefinement
ماذا تَرى في فَتى لَهُ أَدَبٌ
لاnot حارِجٍharsh طَبعُهُhis nature وَلاnor سَمجِuncouth
لا حارِجٍ طَبعُهُ وَلا سَمجِ
What do you think of a young man of refinement,
whose nature is neither harsh nor uncouth?
يُعجِبُهُdelights him الطيبُperfume وَهوَand he ذوpossessed of كَلَفٍpassionate attachment
يُعجِبُهُ الطيبُ وَهوَ ذو كَلَفٍ
بِحُبِّهِwith love for it جَدُّtruly مُغرَمٍbesotted لَهِجِardently devoted
بِحُبِّهِ جَدُّ مُغرَمٍ لَهِجِ
Perfume delights him, and he is consumed
with love for it, truly besotted and devoted.
أودِعَwas entrusted with كافورَةٍa piece of camphor مُثَلِّثَةًtriangular
أودِعَ كافورَةٍ مُثَلِّثَةً
أَريجَةًfragrant ذاتَhaving مَنظَرٍan appearance بَهجِdelightful
أَريجَةً ذاتَ مَنظَرٍ بَهجِ
He was entrusted with a triangular piece of camphor,
sweet-scented, delightful to behold.
تُخبِرُit tells عَنof عِرضِكَyour honor النَقِيِّpure مِنfrom
تُخبِرُ عَن عِرضِكَ النَقِيِّ مِن
اللَومِblame وَعَنand of طيبِthe sweetness of ذِكرِكَyour renown الأَرِجِfragrant
اللَومِ وَعَن طيبِ ذِكرِكَ الأَرِجِ
It tells of your honor, free from
blame, and of the sweetness of your fragrant renown.
يَرضىhe is pleased بِماwith what اِستَودِعَتهُyou entrusted to him مِنof عَبَقٍfragrance
يَرضى بِما اِستَودِعَتهُ مِن عَبَقٍ
بِنَشرِكَwith your scent المُستَطابِdelightful مُمتَزَجِmingled
بِنَشرِكَ المُستَطابِ مُمتَزَجِ
He is pleased with the fragrance you entrusted to him,
mingled with your delightful scent.
جاءَتit came إِلَيهِto him عَفواًunsought عَلىamid ظَمَإِthirst
جاءَت إِلَيهِ عَفواً عَلى ظَمَإِ
مِنهُon his part وَشَوقٍand longing فيin الصَدرِthe breast مُعتَلِجِsurging
مِنهُ وَشَوقٍ في الصَدرِ مُعتَلِجِ
It came to him unbidden, finding thirst
in him, and longing surging in his breast.
فَهَلthen is there عَلَيهِupon him إِذاif أَلَطَّhe holds fast بِهاto it
فَهَل عَلَيهِ إِذا أَلَطَّ بِها
وَأَنتَwhile you are قاضيthe judge of السَماحِgenerosity مِنany حَرَجِblame
وَأَنتَ قاضي السَماحِ مِن حَرَجِ
Then, if he holds fast to it, does he incur—
when you are generosity's judge—any blame?
فَاِبقَso endure وَعِشand live ساحِباًtrailing مُلاءَةَthe mantle of مَسjoy- (word fragment)
فَاِبقَ وَعِش ساحِباً مُلاءَةَ مَس
رورٍ-ful (word fragment) بِيَومٍon the day of النَيروزِNowruz مُبتَهِجِrejoicing
رورٍ بِيَومٍ النَيروزِ مُبتَهِجِ
So endure and live, trailing the mantle of a joy-
-ful man, rejoicing on Nowruz day.