سَماrose high يُناغيmurmuring to الشُهُباthe shooting stars
سَما يُناغي الشُهُبا
هَلdid? مَسَّهاtouched them فَاِلتَهَباand so blazed
هَل مَسَّها فَاِلتَهَبا
It rose high, murmuring to the shooting stars.
The sky flirts with the stars,
Did it touch them and burst into flame?
Did a spark touch it and make it blaze?
كَالدَيدَبانِlike a sentry أَلزَموthey stationed
كَالدَيدَبانِ أَلزَمو
هُit فيin البِحارِthe seas مَرقَباa lookout
هُ في البِحارِ مَرقَبا
Like a sentry, they stationed
Like limpets they clung
it at a lookout amid the seas.
To the seas, watching.
شَيَّعَsaw off مِنهُfrom it مَركَباًa vessel
شَيَّعَ مِنهُ مَركَباً
وَقامَand rose يَلقىto meet مَركَباa vessel
وَقامَ يَلقى مَركَبا
It saw a vessel off from there,
He bid farewell to a ship
and rose to greet another vessel.
And stood to meet another ship.
بَشَّرَgave glad tidings بِالدارِof home وَبِالand of the
بَشَّرَ بِالدارِ وَبِال
أَهلِfamily السُراةَthe night travelers الغُيَّباthe absent
أَهلِ السُراةَ الغُيَّبا
It brought tidings of home and of
He gave good tidings of the house and
family to faraway night travelers.
The people of the hidden place of pilgrimage.
وَخَطَّand inscribed بِالنورِwith light عَلىupon
وَخَطَّ بِالنورِ عَلى
لَوحِthe tablet of الظَلامِdarkness مَرحَباwelcome
لَوحِ الظَلامِ مَرحَبا
And inscribed with light upon
With light he drew upon
the tablet of darkness: Welcome.
The tablet of darkness, "Welcome!"
كَالبارِقِlike lightning المُلِحِّthe insistent لَمnot
كَالبارِقِ المُلِحِّ لَم
يُوَلَّturned away إِلّاexcept عَقَّباreturned
يُوَلَّ إِلّا عَقَّبا
Like insistent lightning, it never
Like the twinkling bright lightning
turned away without coming back.
That flashes and is gone.
ياO رُبَّhow many a لَيلٍnight لَمnot تَذُقyou tasted
يا رُبَّ لَيلٍ لَم تَذُق
فيهِin it الرُقادَsleep طَرَباfor joy
فيهِ الرُقادَ طَرَبا
Ah, how many a night you tasted no
O Lord of the night in which
sleep, for joy!
You did not taste sleep or joy.
بِتناwe spent the night نُراعيهِwatching it كَماas
بِتنا نُراعيهِ كَما
يَرعىwatch السُراةُnight travelers الكَوكَباthe star
يَرعى السُراةُ الكَوكَبا
We spent the night watching it, as
We stay awake, watching over it
night travelers watch the star.
As the pilgrims watch the stars.
سَعادَةٌhappiness يَعرِفُهاknows it
سَعادَةٌ يَعرِفُها
فيamong الناسِpeople مَنwhoever كانَhas been أَباa father
في الناسِ مَن كانَ أَبا
A happiness understood
A happiness known
among people by anyone who has been a father.
To people if they are fathers.
مَشىwalked عَلىupon الماءِthe water وَجاand crossed (word begins)
مَشى عَلى الماءِ وَجا
بَcrossed (word ends) كَالمَسيحِlike the Messiah العَبَباthe billows
بَ كَالمَسيحِ العَبَبا
It walked upon the water and crossed
He walked upon the water and came
the billows, like the Messiah.
Like Jesus the miracle worker.
وَقامَand stood فيin مَوضِعِهِits place
وَقامَ في مَوضِعِهِ
مُستَشرِفاًpeering out مُنَقِّباsearching
مُستَشرِفاً مُنَقِّبا
And it stood at its post,
He stood in his place
peering out and searching.
Seeking, searching.
يَرميcasting إِلىinto الظَلامِthe darkness طَرa glance (word begins)
يَرمي إِلى الظَلامِ طَر
فاًa glance (word ends) حائِراًbewildered مُذَبذَباwavering
فاً حائِراً مُذَبذَبا
Casting into the darkness a
He aims into the darkness
bewildered, wavering glance.
Confused, wavering.
كَمُبصِرٍlike a sighted person أَدارَturned عَيan eye (word begins)
كَمُبصِرٍ أَدارَ عَي
ناًan eye (word ends) فيin الدُجىthe darkness وَقَلَّباand turned it about
ناً في الدُجى وَقَلَّبا
Like a sighted man who turned an
Like a seer, he turned his
eye in the dark and moved it about.
Eyes in the gloom and examined.
كَبَصَرِlike the sight of الأَعشىthe night-blind man أَصاhit the mark (word begins)
كَبَصَرِ الأَعشى أَصا
بَhit the mark (word ends) فيin الظَلامِthe darkness وَنَباand missed
بَ في الظَلامِ وَنَبا
Like a night-blind man's sight, it found its mark
Like the blind man's vision
in the darkness, and missed.
He saw in the dark and ascended.
وَكالسِراجِand like a lamp فيin يَدِthe hand of الريthe wind (word begins)
وَكالسِراجِ في يَدِ الري
حِthe wind (word ends) أَضاءَshone وَخَباand faded
حِ أَضاءَ وَخَبا
And like a lamp in the hand of the
Like a lamp in the hand of the wind
wind, it shone and faded.
He illuminated and disappeared.
كَلَمحَةٍlike a flash مِنof خاطِرٍa thought
كَلَمحَةٍ مِن خاطِرٍ
ماnot جاءَcame حَتّىuntil ذَهَباdeparted
ما جاءَ حَتّى ذَهَبا
Like a flash of thought,
Like a spark of inspiration
no sooner had it come than it was gone.
That came and went.
مُجتَنِبُshunning العالَمِthe world فيin
مُجتَنِبُ العالَمِ في
عُزلَتِهِits solitude مُجتَنَباshunned
عُزلَتِهِ مُجتَنَبا
Shunning the world, in
Avoiding the world in
its solitude shunned in turn,
His isolation, avoided.
إِلّاexcept شِراعاًa sail ضَلَّwent astray أَوor
إِلّا شِراعاً ضَلَّ أَو
فُلكاًa vessel يُقاسيsuffering العَطَباruin
فُلكاً يُقاسي العَطَبا
save for a sail gone astray, or
Except for a sail gone astray
a vessel suffering ruin.
Or a ship battered by calms.
وَكانَand was حارِسُthe keeper of الفَناthe lighthouse (word begins)
وَكانَ حارِسُ الفَنا
رِthe lighthouse (word ends) رَجُلاًa man مُهَذَّباcourteous
رِ رَجُلاً مُهَذَّبا
And the lighthouse keeper was
The keeper of oblivion was
a courteous man.
A refined man.
يَهوىcherishes الحَياةَlife وَيُحِبُّand loves
يَهوى الحَياةَ وَيُحِبُّ
العَيشَliving سَهلاًeasy طَيِّباpleasant
العَيشَ سَهلاً طَيِّبا
He cherished life and loved
He loved life and loved
an easy, pleasant existence.
Living, easy and good.
أَتَتpassed عَلَيهِover him سَنَواyears (word begins)
أَتَت عَلَيهِ سَنَوا
تٌyears (word ends) مُبعَداًkept far away مُغتَرِباaway from home
تٌ مُبعَداً مُغتَرِبا
Years had passed over him,
Years passed him by
far from home and among strangers.
Exiled and estranged.
لَمnot يَرَsaw فيهاduring them زَوجَهُhis wife
لَم يَرَ فيها زَوجَهُ
وَلاnor اِبنَهُhis son المُحَبَّباthe beloved
وَلا اِبنَهُ المُحَبَّبا
In those years he had not seen his wife,
He did not see his wife
nor his beloved son.
Or his beloved son in them.
وَكانَand had قَدalready رَعىheeded الخَطيthe speaker (word begins)
وَكانَ قَد رَعى الخَطي
بَthe speaker (word ends) وَوَعىand understood ماwhat خَطَباsaid in his speech
بَ وَوَعى ما خَطَبا
And it had heeded the speaker
He had watched fate
and understood what he had said.
And understood what fate decreed.
فَقالَthen said ياO حارِسُkeeper خَلleave aside (word begins)
فَقالَ يا حارِسُ خَل
لِleave aside (word ends) السُخطَresentment وَالتَعَتُّباand reproach
لِ السُخطَ وَالتَعَتُّبا
Then it said: O keeper, put aside
So he said, "O keeper of emptiness,
resentment and reproach.
Abandon discontent and complaining.
مَنwho يُسعِفُhelps الناسَpeople إِذاif
مَن يُسعِفُ الناسَ إِذا
نودِيَis called upon كُلٌّeveryone فَأَبىthen refuses
نودِيَ كُلٌّ فَأَبى
Who will help people, if
Who will help people when
each is called upon and refuses?
Each is called but refuses?
ماnot الناسُpeople إِخوَتيmy brothers وَلاnor
ما الناسُ إِخوَتي وَلا
آدَمُAdam كانَwas ليto me أَباa father
آدَمُ كانَ لي أَبا
People are not my brothers,
People are my brothers, not
nor was Adam a father to me.
Adam my father.
أُنظُرlook إِلَيَّat me كَيفَhow أَقI fulfill (word begins)
أُنظُر إِلَيَّ كَيفَ أَق
ضيI fulfill (word ends) لَهُمُfor them ماwhat وَجَباwas due
ضي لَهُمُ ما وَجَبا
Look at me—how I fulfill
Look at me, see how I fulfill
for them what is due.
What is obligatory for them.
قَدindeed عِشتُI have lived فيin خِدمَتِهِمtheir service
قَد عِشتُ في خِدمَتِهِم
وَلاand not تَرانيyou see me تَعِباweary
وَلا تَراني تَعِبا
I have lived in their service,
I have lived in serving them
and you do not see me weary.
And you do not see me weary.
كَمhow many مِنof غَريقٍa drowning person قُمتُI stood عِنbeside (word begins)
كَم مِن غَريقٍ قُمتُ عِن
دَbeside (word ends) رَأسِهِhis head مُطَبِّباas a healer
دَ رَأسِهِ مُطَبِّبا
How many a drowning man I stood beside,
How many drowning have I stood
at his head, tending him!
At their heads, healing.
وَكانَand he was جِسماًa body هامِداًmotionless
وَكانَ جِسماً هامِداً
حَرَّكتُهُI stirred him فَاِضطَرَباso he quivered
حَرَّكتُهُ فَاِضطَرَبا
He was a motionless body;
Their bodies were still
I stirred him, and he quivered.
I stirred them and they shook.
وَكُنتُand I had وَطَّأتُmade ready لَهُfor him
وَكُنتُ وَطَّأتُ لَهُ
مَناكِبيmy shoulders فَرَكِباso he mounted
مَناكِبي فَرَكِبا
And I had readied for him
I bent my shoulders for them
my shoulders, so he mounted.
To climb up and mount.
حَتّىuntil أَتىhe reached الشَطَّthe shore فَبَشthen smiled (word begins)
حَتّى أَتى الشَطَّ فَبَش
شَsmiled (word ends) مَنwhoever بِهِat it وَرَحَّباand welcomed
شَ مَن بِهِ وَرَحَّبا
Until he reached the shore; then
Until they came to shore, delighted
those there smiled and welcomed him.
And welcoming what they found.
وَطارَدونيand they pursued me فَاِنقَلَبso returned (word begins)
وَطارَدوني فَاِنقَلَب
تُI (word ends) خاسِراًhaving lost مُخَيِّباdisappointed
تُ خاسِراً مُخَيِّبا
And they chased me, so I returned
They chased me away, so I returned
empty-handed and disappointed.
Losing, disappointed.
ماnot نلتُI obtained مِنهُمfrom them فِضَّةًsilver
ما نلتُ مِنهُم فِضَّةً
وَلاnor مُنِحتُI was given ذَهَباgold
وَلا مُنِحتُ ذَهَبا
I gained no silver from them,
I did not get any silver from them
nor was I granted gold.
Nor was I given gold.
وَماand what الجَزاءُthe recompense لاnot تَسَلask
وَما الجَزاءُ لا تَسَل
كانَwas الجَزاءُthe recompense عَجَباa wonder
كانَ الجَزاءُ عَجَبا
And what was the reward? Do not ask—
What a reward! Strange
the reward was a wonder.
Was the reward!
أَلقَواthey cast عَلَيَّover me شَبَكاًa net
أَلقَوا عَلَيَّ شَبَكاً
وَقَطَّعونيand cut me up إِرَباinto pieces
وَقَطَّعوني إِرَبا
They cast a net over me,
They threw a net over me
and cut me into pieces.
And chopped me to pieces.
وَاِتَّخَذَand made الصُنّاعُthe craftsmen مِنfrom
وَاِتَّخَذَ الصُنّاعُ مِن
شَحمِيَmy fat زَيتاًoil طَيِّباfine
شَحمِيَ زَيتاً طَيِّبا
And the craftsmen made from
The craftsmen took from
my fat a fine oil.
My fat good lamp oil.
وَلَمand not يَزَلceased إِسعافُهُمhelping them
وَلَم يَزَل إِسعافُهُم
لِيَfor me الحَياةَthroughout life مَذهَباa way
لِيَ الحَياةَ مَذهَبا
Yet helping them has never ceased to be
And their aid to me
my way throughout life.
Kept taking away my life.
وَلَمand not يَزَلceased سَجِيَّتيmy nature
وَلَم يَزَل سَجِيَّتي
وَعَمَليand my work المُحَبَّباthe beloved
وَعَمَلي المُحَبَّبا
And it has remained my nature,
And my good-natured deeds
and my cherished work.
Remained beloved.
إِذاwhen سَمِعتُI heard صَرخَةًa cry
إِذا سَمِعتُ صَرخَةً
طِرتُI flew إِلَيهاto it طَرَباjoyfully
طِرتُ إِلَيها طَرَبا
Whenever I hear a cry,
If I heard a scream
I fly to it with joy.
I would dash to it, thrilled.
لاnot أَجِدُI find المُسعِفَthe rescuer
لا أَجِدُ المُسعِفَ
إِلّاexcept مَلَكاًan angel مُقَرَّباfavored
إِلّا مَلَكاً مُقَرَّبا
I find the rescuer to be none other
I do not find one who helps
than a favored angel.
Except an honored angel.
وَالمُسعِفونَand the rescuers فيon غَدٍthe morrow
وَالمُسعِفونَ في غَدٍ
يُؤَلِّفونَform مَوكِباa procession
يُؤَلِّفونَ مَوكِبا
And the rescuers, on the morrow,
And the helpers, tomorrow,
will form a procession.
Will join a procession.
يَقولُsays رِضوانُRidwan لَهُمto them
يَقولُ رِضوانُ لَهُم
هَيّاcome أَدخلوهاenter it مَرحَباwelcome
هَيّا أَدخلوها مَرحَبا
Ridwan will say to them:
Paradise will say to them,
Come, enter it—welcome!
"Come, enter the welcome!"
مُذنِبُكُمthe sinner among you قَدalready غَفَرَhas forgiven
مُذنِبُكُم قَد غَفَرَ
اللَهُGod لَهُfor him ماwhat أَذنَباhe sinned
اللَهُ لَهُ ما أَذنَبا
The sinner among you has already been forgiven
"Your sins,
by God for whatever sins he committed.
God has forgiven whatever you did."
Sol 6.1