وَصَهوَةِand a saddleback عَزمٍresolve قَدalready تَمَطَّيتُI mounted وَالدُجىwhile darkness
وَصَهوَةِ عَزمٍ قَد تَمَطَّيتُ وَالدُجى
مُكِبُّbowed low كَأَنَّas though الصُبحَdawn فيin صَدرِهِits breast سُرُّa secret
مُكِبُّ كَأَنَّ الصُبحَ في صَدرِهِ سُرُّ
And I had mounted the saddleback of resolve, while darkness
With resolute determination I donned the dark night
bowed low, as though dawn were a secret in its breast.
Bent over as if dawn was hidden in his chest
وَقَدand already أَلحَفَتنيcloaked me شَملَةُa mantle الظِلِّof shadow شَمأَلٌa north wind
وَقَد أَلحَفَتني شَملَةُ الظِلِّ شَمأَلٌ
يُقَلقِلُshakes أَحشاءَthe entrails of الأَراكِthe arak trees بِهاthrough it ذُعرُterror
يُقَلقِلُ أَحشاءَ الأَراكِ بِها ذُعرُ
And a north wind had cloaked me in a mantle of shadow;
Enveloped by the blackness of shade that startles
through it, terror shook the entrails of the arak trees.
The gazelle, stirring their hearts with fright
وَأَشرَفَand loomed طَمّاحُhigh-aspiring الذُؤابَةِof crest شامِخٌtowering
وَأَشرَفَ طَمّاحُ الذُؤابَةِ شامِخٌ
تَنَطَّقَgirded itself بِالجَوزاءِwith Orion لَيلاًby night لَهُbelonging to it خَصرُa waist
تَنَطَّقَ بِالجَوزاءِ لَيلاً لَهُ خَصرُ
And a towering mountain loomed, its crest aspiring high;
The ambitious star peered out towering high
by night, its waist girded itself with Orion.
Speaking to the constellation in the night, slender at the waist
وُقورٌdignified عَلىthrough مَرِّthe passing of اللَياليthe nights كَأَنَّماas though
وُقورٌ عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي كَأَنَّما
يُصيخُlistens intently إِلىto نَجوىwhispers وَفيthough in أُذنِهِits ear وَقرُdeafness
يُصيخُ إِلى نَجوى وَفي أُذنِهِ وَقرُ
Dignified through the passing nights, as though
Dignified as the nights passed as though
it listened intently to whispers, though its ear was deaf.
He whispered intimacies, hearing them in his ear
تَمَهَّدَlay settled مِنهُof it كُلُّevery رُكنٍflank رَكانَةًsteadfastness
تَمَهَّدَ مِنهُ كُلُّ رُكنٍ رَكانَةً
فَقَطَّبَso it frowned إِطراقاًwith lowered gaze وَقَدwhile already ضَحِكَlaughed البَدرُthe full moon
فَقَطَّبَ إِطراقاً وَقَد ضَحِكَ البَدرُ
Each of its flanks rested in firm composure;
Every corner settled into tranquility
so it frowned with lowered gaze, while the full moon laughed.
Blinking gently as the full moon smiled
وَلاذَand sought refuge بِهِwith it نَسرُthe eagle السَماءِof the sky كَأَنَّماas though
وَلاذَ بِهِ نَسرُ السَماءِ كَأَنَّما
يَحِنُّyearns إِلىfor وَكرٍa nest بِهِon it ذَلِكَthat النَسرُthe eagle
يَحِنُّ إِلى وَكرٍ بِهِ ذَلِكَ النَسرُ
And the sky's eagle sought refuge with it, as though
The eagle of the sky took refuge there as though
that eagle yearned for a nest upon it.
Yearning for a nest, did that eagle
فَلَمso did not أَدرِI know مِنfrom صَمتٍsilence لَهُbelonging to it وَسَكينَةٍand stillness
فَلَم أَدرِ مِن صَمتٍ لَهُ وَسَكينَةٍ
أَكبَرَةُwas it the advancement سِنٍّof age وَقَّرَتlent dignity مِنهُof it أَمor كِبرُpride
أَكبَرَةُ سِنٍّ وَقَّرَت مِنهُ أَم كِبرُ
So, from its silence and stillness, I could not tell
I know not whether from his silence and serenity
whether old age had lent it dignity, or pride.
Old age made him dignified or he dignified old age
Sol 6.1