مَشيناwe traveled فيthrough بِلادlands لَيسَthere is not فيهاin them
مَشينا في بِلاد لَيسَ فيها
سِوىanything but وَحلmud يَموجsurges وَلاand does not يَحولُchange
سِوى وَحل يَموج وَلا يَحولُ
We traveled through lands where there was nothing
but mud that surges and never changes.
كَأَنَّكَas though you were راكبriding فَلكاًa ship إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle
كَأَنَّكَ راكب فَلكاً إِذا ما
مَشَتwent بِكَwith you فيalong مَجاريهِits channels الخُيولُthe horses
مَشَت بِكَ في مَجاريهِ الخُيولُ
It is as though you were riding a ship whenever
the horses carried you along its channels.
أَقولI say لِراسبto one sunk فيin الوَحلthe mud يَحبوcrawling
أَقول لِراسب في الوَحل يَحبو
أَطابَhas it become pleasant? لَكَfor you التَرَدُدgoing to and fro وَالمُقيلُand midday rest
أَطابَ لَكَ التَرَدُد وَالمُقيلُ
I say to one sunk in the mud, crawling:
Do you find going to and fro and resting at noon pleasant?
إِذاif اِعتادَgrows accustomed to الفَتىthe young man خَوضwading through المَناياdeath's perils
إِذا اِعتادَ الفَتى خَوض المَنايا
فَأَهونthen the easiest ماthat which يَمرّhe passes بِهِthrough it الوحولُmud
فَأَهون ما يَمرّ بِهِ الوحولُ
If a young man grows used to wading through death's perils,
then mud is the easiest thing he passes through.
Sol 6.1