بينbetween المقطمal-Muqattam والمقطمand al-Muqattam نسبةa kinship
بين المقطم والمقطم نسبة
فيin الثقلheaviness لاnot تخفىis hidden from العقلاءthe wise
في الثقل لا تخفى العقلاء
Between al-Muqattam and al-Muqattam there is a kinship
There is a clear relation between matter and spirit
In heaviness, not hidden from the wise.
In weight, not hidden from the wise
فصخورfor the rocks of ذاthis one وسطورand the lines of ذاthis one وكلاهماand both of them
فصخور ذا وسطور ذا وكلاهما
متألفcomposed منof صخرةa rock صماءsolid
متألف من صخرة صماء
For this one's rocks and that one's lines—both
For this has rocks, and that lines, yet both
Are composed of solid rock.
Are made of deaf rock
لكنbut بينهماbetween the two of them اختلافاa difference بَيِّناًclear
لكن بينهما اختلافا بَيِّناً
كتباينlike the distinction between الأفعالverbs والأسماءand nouns
كتباين الأفعال والأسماء
Yet between them lies a clear difference,
But between them a clear difference
Like the distinction between verbs and nouns.
Like that between verbs and nouns
هذاthis one حجارتهits stones إذاwhen ماan emphatic particle قُطِّعتare cut
هذا حجارته إذا ما قُطِّعت
صلحتare suitable بجملتهاin their entirety لكلfor every بناءbuilding
صلحت بجملتها لكل بناء
This one's stones, when they are cut,
The rocks of this, if fragmented
Are all fit for any building.
Would serve any building
لكنbut ذاكthat one سطورهits lines ماnot سُطرتwere written
لكن ذاك سطوره ما سُطرت
إلاexcept لهدمto destroy فضائلthe virtues of العقلاءthe wise
إلا لهدم فضائل العقلاء
But that one's lines were never written
But the lines of that, if inscribed
Except to destroy the virtues of the wise.
Would only destroy the virtues of the wise
Sol 6.1