سرىjourneyed by night ووميضُand the flash of البرقlightning يحدُوurges onward بهhim مُسرعاhastening
سرى ووميضُ البرق يحدُو به مُسرعا
وأجفانهُand his eyelids منfrom شوقهhis longing تذرُفshed الدّمعاtears
وأجفانهُ من شوقه تذرُف الدّمعا
He journeyed by night, the lightning’s flash urging him swiftly onward,
He went in haste as lightning flashed
And his eyelids shed tears of longing.
And tears of yearning from his eyes gushed
سرىjourneyed by night وخفافand the padded feet of العيسthe pale camels تقذُفfling بالحصىwith pebbles
سرى وخفاف العيس تقذُف بالحصى
وجُوهthe faces of الفيافيthe wastelands ماnever شكتcomplained للخطىto the footfalls صدعاa crack
وجُوه الفيافي ما شكت للخطى صدعا
He journeyed by night, the pale camels’ padded feet flinging pebbles
He went as nimble horses kicked up pebbles
At the wastelands’ faces, which never complained of a crack to the footfalls.
Yet the meadows felt no crack from his tread
شجيّsorrowful سرىjourneyed by night هميانstreaming with tears حيرانbewildered فيin الدّجىthe darkness
شجيّ سرى هميان حيران في الدّجى
فلمso he did not يدرknow خفضاa descent ماwhat تجشّمhe braved أوor رفعاan ascent
فلم يدر خفضا ما تجشّم أو رفعا
Sorrowful, he journeyed by night, tearful and bewildered in the darkness,
He went confused, lost in the dark night
So he knew not whether he had braved a descent or an ascent.
Unsure to humble himself or hold his head high
أذابmelted لهيبُthe blaze of الشّوقlonging منهُfrom him حُشاشةa last remnant of life
أذاب لهيبُ الشّوق منهُ حُشاشة
كماjust as قدhas أذابتmelted نارُthe fire of مُستوقدa fire-kindler شمعاwax
كما قد أذابت نارُ مُستوقد شمعا
The blaze of longing melted the last remnant of life in him,
The flame of his longing melted his insides
Just as a fire-kindler’s fire has melted wax.
As a lit fire melts down a candle wick
Sol 6.1