شَقَقنَthey cut through بِناwith us تَيّارَthe current of بَحرٍa sea كَأَنَّهُas though it
شَقَقنَ بِنا تَيّارَ بَحرٍ كَأَنَّهُ
إِذاwhen ماindeed جَرَتsailed فيهِin it السَفينُthe ships يُعَربِدُrages wildly
إِذا ما جَرَت فيهِ السَفينُ يُعَربِدُ
They cut for us through the current of a sea that seemed,
whenever ships sailed upon it, to rage wildly.
تَرىyou see مُستَقَرَّthe still part of الماءَthe water مِنهُof it كَأَنَّهُas though it
تَرى مُستَقَرَّ الماءَ مِنهُ كَأَنَّهُ
سَبيبٌa flowing lock of hair عَلىupon الأَرضِthe earth الفَضاءِthe open مُمَدَّدُstretched out
سَبيبٌ عَلى الأَرضِ الفَضاءِ مُمَدَّدُ
You see its still water as though it were
a flowing lock of hair stretched across the open earth.
وَيَجريand it flows إِذاwhen الأَرواحُthe winds فيهِupon it تَقابَلَتmeet
وَيَجري إِذا الأَرواحُ فيهِ تَقابَلَت
كَماjust as مالَtilted مِنfrom كَفِّthe palm of النِهاميal-Nihami مُبَرَّدُa file
كَما مالَ مِن كَفِّ النِهامي مُبَرَّدُ
And it flows when the winds meet upon it,
as a file tilts from al-Nihami’s hand.
فَإِنbut if تَسكُنُgrow still الأَرواحُthe winds خِلتَyou would think مُتونَهُits surfaces
فَإِن تَسكُنُ الأَرواحُ خِلتَ مُتونَهُ
مُتونَthe faces of الصِفاحِthe broad blades البيضِthe bright حينَwhen تُجَرَّدُare drawn
مُتونَ الصِفاحِ البيضِ حينَ تُجَرَّدُ
But if the winds grow still, you would think its surfaces
the faces of bright blades when they are drawn.
فَطَوراًand at one moment تَراهُyou see it وَهوَand it is سَيفٌa sword مُهَنَّدُIndian-made
فَطَوراً تَراهُ وَهوَ سَيفٌ مُهَنَّدُ
وَطَوراًand at another moment تَراهُyou see it وَهوَand it is دِرعٌa coat of mail مُسَرَّدُlinked
وَطَوراً تَراهُ وَهوَ دِرعٌ مُسَرَّدُ
At one moment you see it as an Indian-made sword;
at another, you see it as a coat of linked mail.
نُصَعِّدُwe ascend فيهِupon it وَهوَwhile it زُرقٌblue جِمامُهُits pools
نُصَعِّدُ فيهِ وَهوَ زُرقٌ جِمامُهُ
فَنَحسِبُso we imagine أَنّاthat we فيin السَماءِthe sky نُصَعِّدُare ascending
فَنَحسِبُ أَنّا في السَماءِ نُصَعِّدُ
We rise upon it, its pools blue,
and imagine we are ascending into the sky.
أَطَفناwe circled بِمَحمودِaround one praised السَجِيَّةِin nature ماجِدُnoble
أَطَفنا بِمَحمودِ السَجِيَّةِ ماجِدُ
رِضاهُhis favor لِماfor what نَرجوwe hope for مِنَof الخَيرِgood مَوعِدُa promise
رِضاهُ لِما نَرجو مِنَ الخَيرِ مَوعِدُ
We circled about a noble man of praiseworthy nature;
his favor promises the good we hope for.
بِمَمتَثِلٍone who emulates فِعلَthe action of السَحابِthe clouds إِذاwhen غَداthey set forth
بِمَمتَثِلٍ فِعلَ السَحابِ إِذا غَدا
يُصَفِّقُclaps فيهاwithin them رَعدُهاtheir thunder وَيُغَرِّدُand sings
يُصَفِّقُ فيها رَعدُها وَيُغَرِّدُ
One who emulates the clouds when they set forth,
their thunder clapping and singing within them.
Sol 6