لِدودَةِabout the worm القَزِّsilk عِنديI have
لِدودَةِ القَزِّ عِندي
وَدودَةِand the worm الأَضواءِthe lights
وَدودَةِ الأَضواءِ
I have, concerning the silkworm
The glow-worm to the firefly said,
and the glowworm,
“Hearken my tale of fame and dread:
حِكايَةٌa tale تَشتَهيهاlong for it
حِكايَةٌ تَشتَهيها
مَسامِعُears الأَذكِياءِthe clever
مَسامِعُ الأَذكِياءِ
a tale longed for by
I’m useful, helpful, known of old;
the ears of the clever.
The profit in me’s manifold.
لَمّاwhen رَأَتshe saw تِلكَthat one هَذيthis one
لَمّا رَأَت تِلكَ هَذي
تُنيرُshines فيin الظَلماءِthe darkness
تُنيرُ في الظَلماءِ
When the former saw the latter
I’ve lived my life out; well content
shining in the darkness,
That life in doing good was spent.
سَعَتshe hastened إِلَيهاto her وَقالَتand she said
سَعَت إِلَيها وَقالَت
تَعيشُmay she live ذاتُbearer of الضِياءِthe light
تَعيشُ ذاتُ الضِياءِ
she hastened to her and said,
I come to shed my kindly light
"Long live the bearer of light!
Upon your brilliance glowing bright.
أَناI المُومَّلُhoped for نَفعيmy usefulness
أَنا المُومَّلُ نَفعي
أَناI الشَهيرُfamed وَفائيmy faithfulness
أَنا الشَهيرُ وَفائي
I am she whose usefulness is hoped for;
Say, is there room mid radiance rare
I am she whose faithfulness is famed.
For me, and brotherhood to share?”
حَلاbecame sweet لِيَto me النَفعُusefulness حَتّىuntil
حَلا لِيَ النَفعُ حَتّى
رَضيتُI accepted فيهِin it فَنائيmy demise
رَضيتُ فيهِ فَنائي
Being useful grew so sweet to me that
The firefly answered: “Get you gone,
I accepted my own death for it.
Vain thing, to boast like this unknown!
وَقَدand indeed أَتَيتُI have come لِأَحظىso I may enjoy
وَقَد أَتَيتُ لِأَحظى
بِوَجهِكِwith your face الوَضّاءِradiant
بِوَجهِكِ الوَضّاءِ
And I have come to enjoy
Tell me, who are you? How dare creep
your radiant face.
Near me, in powdered light a-heap!”
فَهَلso, would...? لِنورِfor the light الثُرىthe earth فيin
فَهَل لِنورِ الثُرى في
مَوَدَّتيmy affection وَإِخائيand my fellowship
مَوَدَّتي وَإِخائي
So would the light of the earth welcome
The firefly only knew its worth.
my affection and fellowship?"
More beauteous comrade lit the earth,
قالَتshe said عَرَضتِyou presented عَلَيناbefore us
قالَت عَرَضتِ عَلَينا
وَجهاًa face بِغَيرِwithout حَياءِshame
وَجهاً بِغَيرِ حَياءِ
She said, "You have shown us
Crying: “Oh Allah, fair my gown
your face without shame.
Of grace.” Her voice made bright stars frown
مَنwho أَنتِyou حَتّىthat you should تُدانيcome near
مَن أَنتِ حَتّى تُداني
ذاتَthe possessor of السَناradiance وَالسَناءِand glory
ذاتَ السَنا وَالسَناءِ
Who are you to come near
She bent her to the worm and said:
the lady of radiance and glory?
“Come now, what doubts are in your head?
أَناI البَديعُwondrous جَماليmy beauty
أَنا البَديعُ جَمالي
أَناI الرَفيعُlofty عَلائيmy eminence
أَنا الرَفيعُ عَلائي
I am she whose beauty is wondrous;
You’ve seen what I can do, you’ve heard
I am she whose eminence is lofty.
My praises sung.” The worm averred:
أَينَwhere الكَواكِبُthe stars مِنّيcompared with me
أَينَ الكَواكِبُ مِنّي
بَلnay أَينَwhere بَدرُthe full moon السَماءِthe sky
بَل أَينَ بَدرُ السَماءِ
Where are the stars compared with me?
“If you are bright, the praise is mine;
Nay, where is heaven's full moon?
The fame’s my fame, O light divine!
فَاِمضيso go away فَلاfor there is no وُدَّaffection عِنديI have
فَاِمضي فَلا وُدَّ عِندي
إِذsince لَستِyou are not مِنamong أَكفائيmy equals
إِذ لَستِ مِن أَكفائي
So go, for I have no affection,
Where are the stars? Nay, where is moon?
since you are not among my equals."
My glittering surpasses noon!”
وَعِندَand at ذَلِكَthat moment مَرَّتpassed by
وَعِندَ ذَلِكَ مَرَّت
حَسناءُa beautiful woman مَعwith حَسناءِa beautiful woman
حَسناءُ مَع حَسناءِ
And at that moment there passed
one beautiful woman with another,
تَقولُsaying لِلَّهِto God (admiring exclamation) ثَوبيmy dress
تَقولُ لِلَّهِ ثَوبي
فيin حُسنِهits beauty وَالبَهاءِand splendor
في حُسنِه وَالبَهاءِ
saying, "God be praised for my dress,
for its beauty and splendor!
كَمhow many عِندَناwe have مِنof أَيادٍfavors
كَم عِندَنا مِن أَيادٍ
لِلدودَةِto the worm الغَراءِillustrious
لِلدودَةِ الغَراءِ
How many favors we owe
to the illustrious worm!"
ثُمَّthen اِنثَنَتshe turned back فَأَتَتthen she approached ذيthis one
ثُمَّ اِنثَنَت فَأَتَت ذي
تَقولُsaying لِلحَمقاءِto the foolish one
تَقولُ لِلحَمقاءِ
Then the silkworm turned back and approached this one,
saying to the foolish one,
هَلis there...? عِندَكِwith you الآنَnow شَكٌّdoubt
هَل عِندَكِ الآنَ شَكٌّ
فيabout رُتبَتيmy rank القَعساءِunassailable
في رُتبَتي القَعساءِ
"Have you now any doubt
about my unassailable rank?
وَقَدand indeed رَأَيتِyou have seen صَنيعيmy handiwork
وَقَد رَأَيتِ صَنيعي
وَقَدand indeed سَمِعتِyou have heard ثَنائيpraise of me
وَقَد سَمِعتِ ثَنائي
And you have seen my handiwork,
and have heard me praised.
إِنif كانَthere is فيكَin you ضِياءٌlight
إِن كانَ فيكَ ضِياءٌ
إِنَّindeed الثَناءَpraise ضِيائيmy light
إِنَّ الثَناءَ ضِيائي
If there is light in you,
surely praise is my light,
وَإِنَّهُand indeed it is لَضِياءٌtruly a light
وَإِنَّهُ لَضِياءٌ
مُؤَيَّدٌsustained بِالبَقاءِby permanence
مُؤَيَّدٌ بِالبَقاءِ
and it is indeed a light
sustained by permanence."
Partial English translation: 26 of 42 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1