جعلَmade اللَّهGod مهْرَباa refuge
جعلَ اللَّه مهْرَبا
وامْتَطَىand mounted الليلَthe night مركبَاa mount
وامْتَطَى الليلَ مركبَا
He made God his refuge
He made the night a refuge
and mounted the night as his steed.
And rode upon it as a mount
خادمٌa servant كانwas مرَّةًonce
خادمٌ كان مرَّةً
مُسْرِفاًprofligate ثمthen أَعْتَبَاmade amends
مُسْرِفاً ثم أَعْتَبَا
A servant who was once
A servant who was once
profligate, then made amends,
Extravagant, then remorseful
راكعاًbowing ساجداًprostrating لهُto Him
راكعاً ساجداً لهُ
ليسdoes not يألُوslacken تَقُرُّباin drawing near
ليس يألُو تَقُرُّبا
bowing and prostrating himself before Him,
Bowing, prostrating to Him
sparing no effort to draw near.
Seeking nearness tirelessly
فَرَضَallotted الخوفُfear دمْعَهُhis tears
فَرَضَ الخوفُ دمْعَهُ
لثرىfor the soil of الأرضِthe earth مشرباa drink
لثرى الأرضِ مشربا
Fear allotted his tears
Fear forced his tears
as drink for the earth's soil.
To soak the earth’s soil
لوْif only تراهُyou see him إذاwhen دعاhe prayed
لوْ تراهُ إذا دعا
ياO مليكاًa king مُحجّباveiled
يا مليكاً مُحجّبا
If only you could see him when he prayed:
If you could see him when he calls
“O veiled King,
Like a veiled king
اعفُpardon عنّيme فقدfor indeed رَكِبْventured (continued)
اعفُ عنّي فقد رَكِبْ
تُI (verb ending) منof الأمرthe affair معطباa deadly peril
تُ من الأمر معطبا
pardon me, for I have ventured
Forgive me, for I have ridden
into peril in this affair.
The command to excess
كسَّبَتْنيhave earned me جرائميmy crimes
كسَّبَتْني جرائمي
مكسباًa gain ساءwas evil مكسباas a gain
مكسباً ساء مكسبا
My crimes have earned me
My crimes have earned me
a gain—what an evil gain!”
An earnings, miserable earnings
ثمthen يهتزّhe sways كالقضيـlike the branch (continued)
ثم يهتزّ كالقضيـ
ـبcompletion of 'branch' إذاwhen هبّتblew الصَّبَاthe east wind
ـب إذا هبّت الصَّبَا
Then he sways like a branch
Then he trembles like a stalk
when the east wind blows.
When the wind blows
أمِنَwas safe from الخوفَfear عندهاthen
أمِنَ الخوفَ عندها
ظَنُّهُhis hope أنْthat يُخَيَّبَاit would be disappointed
ظَنُّهُ أنْ يُخَيَّبَا
Then there was no fear
He feels safe from fear then
that his hope would be disappointed.
Thinking it will not disappoint
Sol 6.1