إنَّindeed شيرازShiraz بَلْدَةٌa town لاnot يَكادُnearly الthe
إنَّ شيراز بَلْدَةٌ لا يَكادُ ال
وَصْفُdescription يَأتِيcomes وإنْand even if تَنَاهَىreaches its utmost عَلَيهَاupon it
وَصْفُ يَأتِي وإنْ تَنَاهَى عَلَيهَا
Indeed, Shiraz is a town scarcely encompassed by
Shiraz is a town that defies
description, even when taken to its utmost.
Description, though you try your best.
لَيسَdoes not تَدْريknow سُكَّانُهاits inhabitants أسرُورُwhether the joy
لَيسَ تَدْري سُكَّانُها أسرُورُ
النَّفسِof the soul يَأتِيcomes منfrom خَلْفِهاbehind it أمor لَدَيْهَاbeside it
النَّفسِ يَأتِي من خَلْفِها أم لَدَيْهَا
Its inhabitants do not know whether the joy
Its people can’t tell whether the joy
of the soul comes from behind it or beside it.
They feel comes from without or within.
لَوif رآهَاsaw it امرُؤٌa man وأُدْخِلَand was admitted عَدْناًEden
لَو رآهَا امرُؤٌ وأُدْخِلَ عَدْناً
سَأَلَasked اللَّهَGod أنto يُرَدَّbe returned إِليْهَاto it
سَأَلَ اللَّهَ أن يُرَدَّ إِليْهَا
If a man saw it and were admitted to Eden,
If a man saw it who’d been in Paradise,
he would ask God to return him to it.
He’d ask God to send him back there again.
Sol 6.1