قِيلَit was said للكُرْكِيَّto the crane إذْwhen قاfirst fragment of ‘stood’
قِيلَ للكُرْكِيَّ إذْ قا
مَfinal fragment of ‘stood’ علىupon الرِّجلِthe leg الوَحيدَهْsingle; lone
مَ على الرِّجلِ الوَحيدَهْ
The crane was asked, as he
The one-legged man was asked
Stood upon a single leg:
How can you walk without depending
كيفَhow لاتعتمِدُyou do not support yourself on الرِّجْfirst fragment of ‘the two legs’
كيفَ لاتعتمِدُ الرِّجْ
لَيْنِfinal fragment of ‘the two legs’ فيupon الأرضِthe earth الوَطِيدَهْfirm; solid
لَيْنِ في الأرضِ الوَطِيدَهْ
“Why do you not support yourself on both
On your leg in this solid ground?
Legs upon the firm earth?”
He said, out of pity for people:
قالَhe said إشفاقاًout of concern علىfor النَاfirst fragment of ‘what grows’
قالَ إشفاقاً على النَا
بِتِfinal fragment of ‘what grows’ فِيهاin it أنْlest أُبيدَهI destroy it
بِتِ فِيها أنْ أُبيدَه
He said, “Out of concern for what
I fear that if I use it, I'll knock it down.
Grows there, lest I destroy it.”
Partial English translation: 5 of 6 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1