رَقَّgrew thin ثَوْبُrobe الدُّجَىthe darkness of night وطابand grew pleasant الهَواءُthe air
رَقَّ ثَوْبُ الدُّجَى وطاب الهَواءُ
وتَدلَّتْand hung low للمَغْرِبِtoward the west الجَوْزَاءُOrion
وتَدلَّتْ للمَغْرِبِ الجَوْزَاءُ
Night’s robe grew thin, and the air grew pleasant.
The robe of dusk has softened and the air grew sweet,
And Orion hung low toward the west.
The jujubes leaned towards the sunset in the west,
والصَّبَاحُand the dawn المُنيرُradiant قدalready نُشِرَتْwas spread مِنْهُfrom it
والصَّبَاحُ المُنيرُ قد نُشِرَتْ مِنْهُ
عَلىupon الأَرْضِthe earth رَيْطَةٌa fine mantle بيضاءُwhite
عَلى الأَرْضِ رَيْطَةٌ بيضاءُ
And from the radiant dawn there had been spread
And the bright morning has spread over the land
upon the earth a white mantle.
A white sheet of dew.
فَاسْقِنيهاso give it to me to drink حتَّىuntil تَرىyou see الشمسَthe sun فيin الthe
فَاسْقِنيها حتَّى تَرى الشمسَ في ال
غَرْبِwest عليهاupon it غِلالَةٌa thin veil صَفْرَاءُyellow
غَرْبِ عليها غِلالَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ
So pour it for me until you see the sun in the
Give me to drink of it, that you may see the sun as it sets
west, wearing a yellow veil.
Cast over it a yellowish reflection.
قَهْوَةٌwine بابِلِيةٌBabylonian كَدَمِlike the blood of الشَّاthe fawn (first fragment)
قَهْوَةٌ بابِلِيةٌ كَدَمِ الشَّا
دِنِcompletion of ‘fawn’ بِكْراًa virgin لكِنَّهاbut she is شَمْطاءُgray-haired
دِنِ بِكْراً لكِنَّها شَمْطاءُ
A Babylonian wine, like the blood of a
A coffee from Babylon, like the cheek
fawn—a virgin, yet gray-haired.
Of a young virgin, though swarthy.
قَدْalready كَسَتْهاclothed her الدُّهورُthe ages أَرْدِيَةَrobes الرِّقthe delicacy (first fragment)
قَدْ كَسَتْها الدُّهورُ أَرْدِيَةَ الرِّق
قةِcompletion of ‘delicacy’ حتَّىuntil جَفاgrew coarse لَدَيْهاbeside her الهَواءُthe air
قةِ حتَّى جَفا لَدَيْها الهَواءُ
The ages have clothed her in robes of
The ages have clothed it in a dress of tenderness
delicacy, till even air seemed coarse beside her.
Until the air around it grew tranquil.
فَهْيَso she is فيon خَدِّthe cheek of كأْسِهَاher cup صُفْرَةُthe yellow hue of التِّبْthe gold (first fragment)
فَهْيَ في خَدِّ كأْسِهَا صُفْرَةُ التِّبْ
رِcompletion of ‘gold’ وفيand on الخَدِّthe cheek وَرْدَةٌa rose حَمْرَاءُred
رِ وفي الخَدِّ وَرْدَةٌ حَمْرَاءُ
Thus on her cup’s cheek she is the yellow of
In the cheek of its cup - the yellow of apples,
gold, and on the cheek a red rose.
And in the cheek - a rosy red rose.
عَجَباًwhat a marvel! ماwhat رَأَيْتُI saw منamong أَعْجَبِmost wondrous الأَشْthe things (first fragment)
عَجَباً ما رَأَيْتُ من أَعْجَبِ الأَشْ
ياءِcompletion of ‘things’ تَقْديرَthe ordaining of مَنْthe One who لَهُbelonging to Him الأَشْياءُthe things
ياءِ تَقْديرَ مَنْ لَهُ الأَشْياءُ
What a marvel I have seen among the most wondrous
Wondrous things have I seen, of the wonders of things
things—the ordaining of Him to whom all things belong!
Is He who has power over all things.
سَبَجٌjet يَسْتَحيلُis transformed منهُfrom it عَقيقٌcarnelian
سَبَجٌ يَسْتَحيلُ منهُ عَقيقٌ
وظلامٌand darkness يَنْسلُّslips forth منهُfrom it ضِياءُlight
وظلامٌ يَنْسلُّ منهُ ضِياءُ
Jet that turns into carnelian,
A jet-black night transforms into glowing embers
and darkness from which light slips forth.
And darkness emanates illumination.
Sol 6.1