بدأناwe began فقلناand so we said أثأبَathab (a fig tree) البحرُthe sea واكتَسَتand became clothed
بدأنا فقلنا أثأبَ البحرُ واكتَسَت
أسافلُهits lower parts حتىuntil ارجَحَنَّit sagged heavily وأوَّداand it bent
أسافلُه حتى ارجَحَنَّ وأوَّدا
We began and said: Is it the sea’s athab, clad
about its lower boughs, till it sagged and bent;
أمِor التينُthe fig tree فيin قُريانِهِits watercourses تَمَّwas complete نَبَتُهُits growth
أمِ التينُ في قُريانِهِ تَمَّ نَبَتُهُ
خَضِيداًbowed low ولولاand were it not for لينُهُits suppleness ماnot تَخَضَّداit would have bent
خَضِيداً ولولا لينُهُ ما تَخَضَّدا
or the fig tree in its watercourses, its growth complete,
bowed low—and without its suppleness it would not have bowed;
أمِor النخلُthe palms منfrom واديWadi (valley) القُرىal-Qura انحرفتveered لهtoward it
أمِ النخلُ من وادي القُرى انحرفت له
يمانيَّةٌa Yemeni wind هَزَّshook القناthe spear-shafts فتأوَّداand so it swayed
يمانيَّةٌ هَزَّ القنا فتأوَّدا
or palms from Wadi al-Qura, toward which there turned
a Yemeni wind that shook their spears until they swayed?
سقىmay water فلجَFalaj الأفلاجِal-Aflaj منfrom كلevery قُمَّةsummit
سقى فلجَ الأفلاجِ من كل قُمَّة
ذهابٌrain showers تُرَوِّيهdrenching it دِماثاًgentle plains وقُوَّداand long ridges
ذهابٌ تُرَوِّيه دِماثاً وقُوَّدا
May Falaj al-Aflaj be watered, from every summit,
by showers that drench its gentle plains and long ridges.
بهin it نجدُwe find الصيدَthe game الغريبَrare ومنظراًand a prospect
به نجدُ الصيدَ الغريبَ ومنظراً
أنيقاًlovely ورَخصاتِand tender الأناملِthe fingertips خُرَّداbashful maidens
أنيقاً ورَخصاتِ الأناملِ خُرَّدا
There we find rare game and a prospect
delightful to behold, and bashful maidens with tender fingertips.
Sol 6.1