قدindeed رَكبناwe boarded بمركبِaboard the vessel of الدّخّانsmoke
قد رَكبنا بمركبِ الدّخّان
وبَلَغْناand we reached بهby means of it أقاصيthe farthest reaches of الأمانيhopes
وبَلَغْنا به أقاصي الأماني
We have indeed boarded the vessel of smoke,
We rode the ship of smoke,
And through it reached the farthest bounds of our hopes.
And reached the furthest desires.
حينَwhen دارتturned أفلاكهits wheels واستدارتand revolved
حينَ دارت أفلاكه واستدارت
فهيso they مثلُlike الأفلاكthe celestial spheres فيin الدَوَرانrotation
فهي مثلُ الأفلاك في الدَوَران
When its wheels turned and revolved,
When its orbit turned and spun around,
They were like the celestial spheres in their rotation.
It is like the spinning of the spheres.
ثمthen سِرناwe journeyed والطيرand the birds يحسُدناenvy us بالأمyester- (first part of 'yesterday')
ثم سِرنا والطير يحسُدنا بالأم
س-day (completion of 'yesterday') لإسراعناfor our swiftness علىbeyond الطيرانflight
س لإسراعنا على الطيران
Then we journeyed, and the birds envied us yester-
Then we travelled, and the birds envied us,
day, for our speed surpassing flight.
For the quickness of our flight.
يخفِقُquivers البَحرthe sea رهبةًin dread حينwhen يجريit sails
يخفِقُ البَحر رهبةً حين يجري
والَّذيand whoever فيهaboard it كائنٌis فيin أمانsafety
والَّذي فيه كائنٌ في أمان
The sea quivers in dread as it sails,
The sea beats fearfully as it flows,
And whoever is aboard it is safe.
And that which is in it is safe.
كلّماwhenever أبعدَwent farther البخارsteam بمسراهalong its course
كلّما أبعدَ البخار بمسراه
قرَّبbrought nearer السيرُtravel بُعْدَthe distance to كلevery مكانplace
قرَّب السيرُ بُعْدَ كل مكان
Whenever steam goes farther along its course,
The more the steam carries its path far,
Travel shortens the distance to every place.
The more the journey brings everything near.
أتقَنَتْperfected صُنعَهits making فطانةُthe ingenuity of قومa people
أتقَنَتْ صُنعَه فطانةُ قوم
وصَفوُهُمthey described them بدقّةas having keenness of الأذهانmind
وصَفوُهُم بدقّة الأذهان
A people's ingenuity perfected its making;
The wisdom of the people perfected its making,
They were described as keen of mind.
And their intellects refined it meticulously.
ماnot أراهاI regard them بالفكرon reflection إلاَّexcept أناساًpeople
ما أراها بالفكر إلاَّ أناساً
بَقِيَتْremained منfrom بَقيّةِthe remnant of اليونانthe Greeks
بَقِيَتْ من بَقيّةِ اليونان
On reflection, I see them as none but people
I see them as nothing but people,
Who remain from the remnant of the Greeks.
Who remain from the remnants of Greece.
أبرَزواthey brought forth بالعقولthrough intellects كلَّevery عجيبmarvel
أبرَزوا بالعقول كلَّ عجيب
ماnot وَجدناهwe found it فيin قديمancient الزمانtimes
ما وَجدناه في قديم الزمان
They brought forth through intellect every marvel
They have extracted with intellects every wonder,
That we had never found in ancient times.
That we found in ancient times.
وبَنَواand they built للعلىfor glory مبانيedifices عَلاءًgrandeur
وبَنَوا للعلى مباني عَلاءً
عاجزٍunable عنهto attain it صاحبthe lord of الإيوانthe Iwan (vaulted hall)
عاجزٍ عنه صاحب الإيوان
And for glory they built edifices of grandeur,
And they built for the Most High elevated structures,
Beyond the power of the lord of the Iwan.
That the owner of the palace falls short of.
فهمُthus they فيin الزمانthe age علمٌlearning وفخرٌand pride
فهمُ في الزمان علمٌ وفخرٌ
ومقامٌand a stature يعلوrising علىabove كيوانSaturn
ومقامٌ يعلو على كيوان
Thus they are learning and pride in their age,
So they are in time knowledge and pride,
And a stature rising above Saturn.
And a standing that rises above the celestial sphere.
Sol 6.1