الماءُthe water يَلعَبُplays كالأراقمِlike the speckled serpents مَوجُهits waves
الماءُ يَلعَبُ كالأراقمِ مَوجُه
والسُّفْنُand the ships بالأذنابِwith the tails فيهin it عَقارِبُscorpions
والسُّفْنُ بالأذنابِ فيه عَقارِبُ
The water’s waves play like speckled serpents;
The water plays like snakes, its waves
and the ships, with their tails, are scorpions in it.
And ships in it are scorpion tails
والصَّوتُand the sound منfrom دُولابِwaterwheel كلِّeach متوَّجٍcrowned one
والصَّوتُ من دُولابِ كلِّ متوَّجٍ
أطفالُchildren زَنْجٍZanj (Black Africans) للرَّضاعِto be nursed نَوادِبُwailing
أطفالُ زَنْجٍ للرَّضاعِ نَوادِبُ
And the sound from each crowned one’s waterwheel
And the sound from every proud mill wheel
is that of Zanj children wailing to be nursed.
Is crying slave children at the breast
فانظُرْso look إليهat it كأنهas though it were وكأنماand as though
فانظُرْ إليه كأنه وكأنما
كِيزانُهُits cups والماءُand the water منهاfrom them ساكبُpouring
كِيزانُهُ والماءُ منها ساكبُ
So look at it: it seems as though
So look at it as if it were
its cups, with water pouring from them,
A balance with water pouring out
فَلَكٌa celestial sphere يدورُrevolves بأنجمٍwith stars جُعِلَتwere placed لهfor it
فَلَكٌ يدورُ بأنجمٍ جُعِلَت له
كالعِقدِlike a necklace فهيso they are شَوارِقٌrising وغَواربُand setting
كالعِقدِ فهي شَوارِقٌ وغَواربُ
were stars set upon a revolving celestial sphere,
A sphere revolving with stars placed on it
like a necklace: they rise and set.
Like a necklace, they are rising and setting
Sol 6.1