ولمَّاand when تَراءتْbeheld كَعْبَةُthe Kaaba of البيتِthe House كَعْبَةًa Kaaba
ولمَّا تَراءتْ كَعْبَةُ البيتِ كَعْبَةً
منَamong الناسِpeople كَنَّتْهاgave it an honorific name العُلىeminence بأبيas Abu (father of) الفضْلِal-Fadl (bounty)
منَ الناسِ كَنَّتْها العُلى بأبي الفضْلِ
And when the Kaaba of the House beheld a Kaaba
When the Kaaba of the house appeared as a Kaaba
among men, eminence named it Abu al-Fadl.
Among the people, its summit was crowned by Abul Fadl
مَناسِكُهاits rites التَّأميلُhopeful expectation منْwith غيرِno موْسِمٍseason
مَناسِكُها التَّأميلُ منْ غيرِ موْسِمٍ
يُخَصُّis set apart ولاnor قوْلٍspeech يُحَدُّis prescribed ولاnor فِعْلِdeed
يُخَصُّ ولا قوْلٍ يُحَدُّ ولا فِعْلِ
Its rites are hopeful expectation, with no season
Its rites were veneration without a set season
set apart, nor prescribed speech or deed.
That was specifically observed, or words that were limited, or deeds.
يَطوفُcircle بهاaround it العافونَseekers of bounty والمَحْلُwhile famine عارِقٌgnawing to the bone
يَطوفُ بها العافونَ والمَحْلُ عارِقٌ
فيكْفيهُمُso it spares them إِحْسانُهُhis beneficence شِرَّةَfury المَحْلِfamine
فيكْفيهُمُ إِحْسانُهُ شِرَّةَ المَحْلِ
Seekers of bounty circle it while famine gnaws to the bone,
The purified circle it while the sanctuary remains protected.
so his beneficence spares them famine's fury.
So their benevolence suffices the evil of the sanctuary.
بكَتْwept شَجْوهاher sorrow أمُّMother of القُرىthe Towns غُدْوَةَon the morning of النَّوىparting
بكَتْ شَجْوها أمُّ القُرى غُدْوَةَ النَّوى
وأبْدَتْand revealed أسىًgrief إذْsince لمdid not تَدُمْlast مُدَّةَthe duration of الوصْلِunion
وأبْدَتْ أسىً إذْ لم تَدُمْ مُدَّةَ الوصْلِ
The Mother of Towns wept her sorrow on the morning of parting,
The mother of towns wept its longing at the dawn of departure
and revealed her grief, for the time of union did not last.
And showed grief when the duration of union did not last.
فماwhat, then الظَّنُthe thought بالأنْسِof companionship الطَّويلِlong وبَلْدَةٍand a town
فما الظَّنُ بالأنْسِ الطَّويلِ وبَلْدَةٍ
يجودُshowers بَنيهاits sons صوبُa downpour of فضْلٍbounty علىupon فَضْلِbounty
يجودُ بَنيها صوبُ فضْلٍ على فَضْلِ
What, then, must one think of long companionship, and of a town
What then is the thought of prolonged company and a town
whose sons are drenched by a downpour of bounty upon bounty?
Whose people excel in virtue over virtue?
كأنَّas though زعيمَthe champion of الدِّينِthe faith إذْwhen غابَdeparted عنهُمُfrom them
كأنَّ زعيمَ الدِّينِ إذْ غابَ عنهُمُ
غَمامٌa cloud تَعدَّىpassed beyond الهامِداتِthe lifeless lands معwith الهَطْلِthe downpour
غَمامٌ تَعدَّى الهامِداتِ مع الهَطْلِ
It was as though the champion of the faith, when he left them,
As if the leader of the faith when he was absent from them
were a cloud that passed beyond lifeless lands, taking its downpour with it.
Was a cloud that crossed the permanent sands with rain.
غَزيرُabundant in التُّقىpiety لاnot يَحْرِصُrends العِزُّglory دينَهُhis faith
غَزيرُ التُّقى لا يَحْرِصُ العِزُّ دينَهُ
ولاnor يَتَعدَّىtransgresses بأسُهُhis might سُنَنَthe ways of العَدْلِjustice
ولا يَتَعدَّى بأسُهُ سُنَنَ العَدْلِ
His piety is abundant; glory does not rend his faith,
Abundant in piety, he does not covet the glory of his religion,
nor does his might transgress the ways of justice.
Nor does his might transgress the ways of justice.
Sol 6.1