شوقي إليك على التبا

شوقي إليك على التبا

عد والتّقارب زائدُ

عد والتّقارب زائدُ

My longing for you, whether far away—

My longing for you, whether we are far

or near—only grows.

apart or near, keeps growing.

وكذا المحبّ ودادهُ

وكذا المحبّ ودادهُ

في كلّ حال واحدُ

في كلّ حال واحدُ

So too, the lover’s affection

And likewise, a lover’s affection

is one and the same in every state.

is one and the same in every state.

والحرّ من لا تنقُصُ ال

والحرّ من لا تنقُصُ ال

أيام ما هو عاقِد

أيام ما هو عاقِد

The free man is he whose resolve

And noble is he whose pledges the

the days do not undo.

days do not weaken.

ما جفن شوقي مذ نأتْ

ما جفن شوقي مذ نأتْ

تلك المعيشةُ هاجِد

تلك المعيشةُ هاجِد

The eyelid of my longing, since that way of life grew distant,

Never has my longing’s eyelid, since

has never slept.

that life grew distant, slept.

جُمَعْت بها فيك المُنى

جُمَعْت بها فيك المُنى

لي واستُهِين الحاسد

لي واستُهِين الحاسد

Through it, all my hopes in you were gathered

In that life, my wishes were gathered in you

for me, and the envier was held in scorn.

for me, and the envier was scorned.

فكأنّني لك للورى

فكأنّني لك للورى

طرّاً هناك مشاهد

طرّاً هناك مشاهد

As though I were there, beholding you

So it was as though, in you, I beheld

amid all humankind.

all humankind there.

داوَى انفرادي منك أن

داوَى انفرادي منك أن

سٌ للكآبة طارد

سٌ للكآبة طارد

My solitude apart from you was healed by

My solitude was healed by your

companionship with writing that drove it away;

companionship, which drove sorrow away,

وتذاكُرٌ وتفاوُضٌ

وتذاكُرٌ وتفاوُضٌ

وتخالُصٌ وفوائدُ

وتخالُصٌ وفوائدُ

by shared recollection and exchange,

and shared recollection and discussion,

sincere fellowship and benefits,

and mutual sincerity and benefits,

وخلائقٌ بِيضٌ على

وخلائقٌ بِيضٌ على

حُسْن الوفاء شواهد

حُسْن الوفاء شواهد

and radiant virtues that bear

and virtues, white and pure, that

witness to the beauty of fidelity.

testify to the beauty of fidelity.

وكذا الأديب إذا تأد

وكذا الأديب إذا تأد

دَب للأديب مُعاضِد

دَب للأديب مُعاضِد

Likewise, when a man of letters shows adab

And likewise, a man of letters, when he acquires

toward a fellow man of letters, he supports him—

refinement, is a fellow man of letters’ ally,

ومُصاحِبٌ ومُواصِلٌ

ومُصاحِبٌ ومُواصِلٌ

ومؤالِفٌ ومساعدُ

ومؤالِفٌ ومساعدُ

a companion and keeper of bonds,

and a companion and one who keeps in touch,

a congenial friend and helper.

and a congenial friend and a helper.

أأبا محمّدٍ المحمْ

أأبا محمّدٍ المحمْ

مدّ والحِجا لك حامد

مدّ والحِجا لك حامد

O Abu Muhammad, O praised one—

O Abu Muhammad, you who are highly

discernment itself praises you.

praised—reason itself praises you.

إنّي فقدتك مثلَ ما

إنّي فقدتك مثلَ ما

فقد البنانَ الساعدُ

فقد البنانَ الساعدُ

I have missed you just as

Indeed, I have lost you, just as

a forearm misses its fingers,

the forearm loses its fingers,

أو مثلَ ما فَقَد الكرى

أو مثلَ ما فَقَد الكرى

جَفْنُ الكئيب الساهدُ

جَفْنُ الكئيب الساهدُ

or as sleep is missed by

or as slumber is lost

the sorrowful, wakeful eyelid.

to the grieving one’s wakeful eyelid.

فلقد يعود حرارةً

فلقد يعود حرارةً

فيه النعيم البارد

فيه النعيم البارد

For even cool delight becomes

For into heat is turned

burning heat within it.

the cool delight within it.

فاسلمَ سَلِمْتَ معجَّلا

فاسلمَ سَلِمْتَ معجَّلا

لي منك وصلٌ خالد

لي منك وصلٌ خالد

So remain safe—may you be kept safe—and hasten

So be safe—may you be safe—and may there soon be

an enduring reunion with you for me.

an everlasting bond from you to me.

فلقد أعارك ظَرْفَه

فلقد أعارك ظَرْفَه

دون الأنام عُطارِد

دون الأنام عُطارِد

For Mercury lent you his wit,

For his wit was lent to you,

to the exclusion of all mankind;

alone among humankind, by Mercury.

وسما بك الأْدبُ الطري

وسما بك الأْدبُ الطري

ف المستفاد التالد

ف المستفاد التالد

and through you adab rose high, whether newly

And fresh learning has raised you high,

acquired or inherited.

both newly acquired and inherited of old.

والمجد ليس يناله

والمجد ليس يناله

إلاَّ الأديبُ الماجِد

إلاَّ الأديبُ الماجِد

Glory is attained

And glory is not attained

only by the glorious man of letters.

except by the noble man of letters.

هذا الزمان لِما يسو

هذا الزمان لِما يسو

ء وصالَنا متعاهِد

ء وصالَنا متعاهِد

This age, despite the pain it causes,

This age is ever attentive to what

still attends faithfully to our state;

harms our bond.

رأْيُ الليالي في تَفرْ

رأْيُ الليالي في تَفرْ

رُقنا ضعيف فاسد

رُقنا ضعيف فاسد

the nights’ judgment that we should be

The nights’ judgment on parting

parted is weak and unsound.

us is weak and unsound.