كانَتِwas النَملَةُthe ant تَمشيshe walks
كانَتِ النَملَةُ تَمشي
مَرَّةًonce تَحتَbeneath المُقَطَّمal-Muqattam
مَرَّةً تَحتَ المُقَطَّم
The ant was walking
The ant was walking
once beneath al-Muqattam.
One day under the giant tree
فَاِرتَخىso it grew slack مَفصِلُهاher joint مِنfrom
فَاِرتَخى مَفصِلُها مِن
هَيبَةِawe الطَودِthe mountain المُعَظَّمmajestic
هَيبَةِ الطَودِ المُعَظَّم
So her joint grew slack from
Its joints shook with
awe of the majestic mountain.
Fear of the mighty trunk
وَاِنثَنَتand she turned تَنظُرُshe gazes حَتّىuntil
وَاِنثَنَت تَنظُرُ حَتّى
أَوجَدَbrought into being الخَوفُfear وَأَعدَمand annihilated
أَوجَدَ الخَوفُ وَأَعدَم
And she turned to gaze until
It peered until
fear created and destroyed.
Fear prevailed and destroyed
قالَتِshe said اليَومَtoday هَلاكيmy doom
قالَتِ اليَومَ هَلاكي
حَلَّhas arrived يَوميmy day وَتَحَتَّمand became inevitable
حَلَّ يَومي وَتَحَتَّم
She said, “Today is my doom;
It said today is my doom
my day has come and is inevitable.
My day has come and is sealed
لَيتَif only شِعريmy knowledge كَيفَhow أَنجوI escape
لَيتَ شِعري كَيفَ أَنجو
إِنif هَوىfalls هَذاthis وَأَسلَمand gives way
إِن هَوى هَذا وَأَسلَم
If only I knew how to escape
If only I knew how I may survive
if this falls and gives way!”
If this tree falls and collapses
فَسَعَتso she hastened تَجريshe runs وَعَيناand two eyes
فَسَعَت تَجري وَعَينا
هاher تَرىsee الطَودَthe mountain فَتَندَمthen she regrets
ها تَرى الطَودَ فَتَندَم
So she hastened, running, her two eyes
It ran in panic, its eyes
watching the mountain; then she felt regret.
Watching the tree in regret
سَقَطَتshe fell فيinto شِبرِa handspan ماءٍwater
سَقَطَت في شِبرِ ماءٍ
هُوَit عِندَto النَملِants كَاليَمlike the sea
هُوَ عِندَ النَملِ كَاليَم
She fell into water a handspan deep,
It fell into a handful of water
which to ants is like the sea.
Which to the ant was an ocean
فَبَكَتso she wept يَأساًin despair وَصاحَتand she cried out
فَبَكَت يَأساً وَصاحَت
قَبلَbefore جَريِthe flowing of الماءِthe water فيinto الفَمthe mouth
قَبلَ جَريِ الماءِ في الفَم
So she wept in despair and cried out
It wept in despair and shouted
before the water flowed into her mouth.
Before the water could reach its mouth
ثُمَّthen قالَتshe said وَهيَwhile she was أَدرىmore aware
ثُمَّ قالَت وَهيَ أَدرى
بِالَّذيof what قالَتshe said وَأَعلَمand more knowledgeable
بِالَّذي قالَت وَأَعلَم
Then she said, more aware
Then it said, more aware
of what she said, and wiser:
Of what it had said and known
لَيتَنيif only I لَمdid not أَتَأَخَّرI hold back
لَيتَني لَم أَتَأَخَّر
لَيتَنيif only I لَمdid not أَتَقَدَّمI move ahead
لَيتَني لَم أَتَقَدَّم
“If only I had not held back!
If only I had not delayed
If only I had not moved ahead!
If only I had not rushed
لَيتَنيif only I سَلَّمتُI submitted فَالعاfor the wi-
لَيتَني سَلَّمتُ فَالعا
قِلُ-se person مَنone who خافَfeared فَسَلَّمand so he submitted
قِلُ مَن خافَ فَسَلَّم
If only I had submitted! For the wise
If only I had submitted to the Almighty
person is one who fears and submits.”
Those who fear Him find peace
صاحِO friend لاdo not تَخشَfear عَظيماa mighty thing
صاحِ لا تَخشَ عَظيما
فَالَّذيfor what فيin الغَيبِthe unseen أَعظَمmightier
فَالَّذي في الغَيبِ أَعظَم
O friend, do not fear a mighty thing,
Do not fear the mighty
for what lies unseen is mightier.
For He who is unseen is mightier
Sol 6.1