ماnot سَمِعناwe heard بخَيمةٍof a tent تَسعُholds البَحthe sea (first fragment)
ما سَمِعنا بخَيمةٍ تَسعُ البَح
رَcompletes the word ‘sea’ وقَدand indeed حَلَّlodged هذِهِthis one البَحرانِthe two seas
رَ وقَد حَلَّ هذِهِ البَحرانِ
Never have we heard of a tent capacious enough for the sea—
We have never heard of a tent that holds the sea,
We never heard of a tent holding two seas,
—yet here these two seas have alighted.
yet the two seas have lodged in this one.
Yet these two princes have pitched theirs.
ضُربَتwas pitched فيin عُلاglory الأمِيرَينthe two princes فيin
ضُربَت في عُلا الأمِيرَين في
جودِgenerosity رَبيبٍRabib وفيand in نَدَىbounty نَبهانِNabhan
جودِ رَبيبٍ وفي نَدَى نَبهانِ
It was pitched upon the eminence of the two princes: in
It was pitched in the glory of the two princes, in
One in the judicious liberality of Rabi’,
Rabib’s generosity and Nabhan’s munificence.
Rabib’s generosity and in Nabhan’s bounty.
The other in the dew of Nabhan.
لوif تَكونُwere to be الخِيامُthe tents تَنطقُspeaking يَوماًone day
لو تَكونُ الخِيامُ تَنطقُ يَوماً
لجَرَتit would flow هذِهِthis one بكلِّin every لِسانِtongue
لجَرَت هذِهِ بكلِّ لِسانِ
If tents could one day speak,
If tents were to speak one day,
If only tents could one day speak,
this one would be upon every tongue.
this one would speak in every tongue.
This one would flow with every tongue.
Sol 6.1