نادَيتُI called out to أَقضِيَةَthe decrees of اللَهِGod الَّتيwhich سَلَفَتhad gone before
نادَيتُ أَقضِيَةَ اللَهِ الَّتي سَلَفَت
إِنَّindeed المَعالِيَlofty things بَذَّتَهاhave surpassed them مَعاليهاtheir heights
إِنَّ المَعالِيَ بَذَّتَها مَعاليها
I called out to God's decrees of old:
I called on the decrees of God that came before
their heights have indeed surpassed all lofty things.
Indeed glories have wasted their glories
وَضَعتُI humbled نَفسيmy soul فَعاليهاyet its highest part عَلىupon قَتَبٍa packsaddle
وَضَعتُ نَفسي فَعاليها عَلى قَتَبٍ
مِنَof الغِنىself-sufficiency يُعرِفُmakes known الجَدوىbeneficence فَعاليهاmy treatment of it
مِنَ الغِنى يُعرِفُ الجَدوى فَعاليها
I humbled my soul, yet its highest part rides a packsaddle
I put myself in their actions on a quiver
of self-sufficiency; my treatment of it makes beneficence known.
Of wealth, its usefulness is known through its actions
نَوائِبُthe calamities of الدَهرِTime تَستَقريprobe غَرائِزَهاits inborn traits
نَوائِبُ الدَهرِ تَستَقري غَرائِزَها
حَتّىuntil تَرىyou see كَحَواليهاlike its adorned ones خَواليهاits bare ones
حَتّى تَرى كَحَواليها خَواليها
Time's calamities probe its inborn traits,
The turns of fate settle their hidden natures
until you see its bare aspects as like its adorned ones.
Until you see its surroundings like its family
أَمّاas for نِبالُthe arrows of المَناياdeath فَهيَthey indeed are مُصمِيَةٌkilling outright
أَمّا نِبالُ المَنايا فَهيَ مُصمِيَةٌ
فَماso what are نِبالُthe arrows of مَقالٍspeech لاnot أُباليهاI care about them
فَما نِبالُ مَقالٍ لا أُباليها
As for death's arrows, they kill outright;
As for the arrows of death, they are intent
what, then, are arrows of speech? I heed them not.
So I do not care about the arrows of saying
لاnot تَمنَعُprotects الغادَةَthe tender maiden الحَسناءَthe beautiful نِعمَتُهاher luxury
لا تَمنَعُ الغادَةَ الحَسناءَ نِعمَتُها
وَأَنand that تَقومَstand حَوالَيهاaround her حَواليهاher adorned attendants
وَأَن تَقومَ حَوالَيها حَواليها
The lovely, tender maiden is not protected by her luxury,
Beauty’s gift does not prevent her blessings
nor by her adorned attendants standing around her.
And that her surroundings stand around her
وَماand what تُفيدُgain الغَوانيthe fair women مِنfrom لَآليهاtheir pearls
وَما تُفيدُ الغَواني مِن لَآليها
نَفَعاًany benefit إِذاwhen جاءَcomes كَيدٌmalice مِنfrom لَياليهاtheir nights
نَفَعاً إِذا جاءَ كَيدٌ مِن لَياليها
And what do fair women gain from their pearls
And the loves do not benefit from her nights
to help them, when malice comes from their nights?
A benefit when cunning comes from her nights
وَلَمand have not تَجِدنيfound me طُغاةُthe tyrants of الناسِhumankind فيin طَمَعٍcovetousness
وَلَم تَجِدني طُغاةُ الناسِ في طَمَعٍ
حَتّىuntil تَعيشَlive أَواليهاtheir earliest ones أُواليهاI befriend them
حَتّى تَعيشَ أَواليها أُواليها
Nor have human tyrants found me covetous;
And the tyrants of people did not find me hoping
not till their earliest ones live again would I befriend them.
That her first ones live their first ones
جَماعَةُthe company of القَومِthe people جَدَّتstrove earnestly فيin تَناظُرِهاits mutual disputation
جَماعَةُ القَومِ جَدَّت في تَناظُرِها
كَعانَةِlike a herd of الوَحشِwild animals جَدَّتstrove earnestly فيin تَغاليهاits mutual racing
كَعانَةِ الوَحشِ جَدَّت في تَغاليها
The company of men strives earnestly in debate,
The group of people were harsh in their viewing
like a herd of wild asses striving to outstrip one another.
Like the misery of the beast they were harsh in their transcendence
حَقٌّa duty عَلىincumbent upon أَنفُسٍsouls مِنهُمamong them تَكالُؤُهاtheir mutual protection
حَقٌّ عَلى أَنفُسٍ مِنهُم تَكالُؤُها
فَقَدfor perhaps يُخافُthere is fear عَلَيهاfor them مِنfrom تَكاليهاtheir mutual hostility
فَقَد يُخافُ عَلَيها مِن تَكاليها
The souls among them are bound to protect one another,
A right over themselves is their coming together
for their mutual hostility gives reason to fear for them.
So it is feared for them from their coming together
بَطنُthe belly of البَسيطَةِthe earth أَعفىmore sparing مِنthan ظَواهِرِهاits outer surfaces
بَطنُ البَسيطَةِ أَعفى مِن ظَواهِرِها
فَوَسِّعاso make room, you two لِيَfor me أَهرُبI may flee مِنfrom سَعاليهاits she-ghouls
فَوَسِّعا لِيَ أَهرُب مِن سَعاليها
The earth's belly is more merciful than its surfaces;
The belly of the desert is more barren than its surfaces
so make room for me, you two, that I may flee its she-ghouls.
So expand for me so I can escape its coughing
وَماand never تَزالُcease to be دَواليهاits alternating turns نَوائِبَهاits calamities
وَما تَزالُ دَواليها نَوائِبَها
فَمِنso, from شِدادِthe severe ones of خُطوبٍcalamities أَوor دَواليهاtheir weaker ones
فَمِن شِدادِ خُطوبٍ أَو دَواليها
Its alternating turns never cease to be its afflictions,
And its states do not cease their turns
whether grievous trials or milder ones.
So from severe afflictions or states
وَقَدand indeed أَطَلتُI have prolonged وِصاليهاmy union with it عَلىdespite سُخُطٍresentment
وَقَد أَطَلتُ وِصاليها عَلى سُخُطٍ
مِنّيfrom me يَسِيّانِare alike غَرقاهاits drowned ones وَصاليهاand those scorched by it
مِنّي يَسِيّانِ غَرقاها وَصاليها
I have prolonged my union with it, though resentful;
And I have prolonged its connection in anger
to me, its drowned and its scorched are alike.
From me, its two abysses and connection run
وَماand none اِستَراحَhas found rest لَعَمريby my life مِنfrom سَوائِلِهاits flowing waters
وَما اِستَراحَ لَعَمري مِن سَوائِلِها
إِذاwhen طَغىoverflows مائُهاits water إِلّاexcept سَواليهاthose who forget it
إِذا طَغى مائُها إِلّا سَواليها
And, by my life, none has found rest from its torrents,
And my life has no rest from its questioning
when its water overflows, save those who forget it.
When its water has flooded except its questioning
Sol 6.1