قِرانُconjunction المُشتَّريJupiter زُحَلاًSaturn يُرَجّىis hoped for
قِرانُ المُشتَّري زُحَلاً يُرَجّى
لِإيقاظِfor awakening النَواظِرِthe eyes مِنfrom كَراهاtheir slumber
لِإيقاظِ النَواظِرِ مِن كَراها
The conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn is hoped for,
to awaken eyes from their slumber.
وَهَيهاتَand how far-fetched! البَريَّةُcreation فيin ضِلالٍerror
وَهَيهاتَ البَريَّةُ في ضِلالٍ
وَقَدand already فَطَنَperceived اللَبيبُthe discerning person لِماwhat اِعتَراهاbefell it
وَقَد فَطَنَ اللَبيبُ لِما اِعتَراها
But how far-fetched! Creation is astray,
though the discerning man has perceived what has befallen it.
وَكَمand how often رَأَتِhave seen الفَراقِدُthe Farqad stars وَالثُرَيّاand the Pleiades
وَكَم رَأَتِ الفَراقِدُ وَالثُرَيّا
قَبائِلَtribes ثُمَّthen أَضحَتcame to be فيin ثَراهاtheir earth
قَبائِلَ ثُمَّ أَضحَت في ثَراها
How often the Farqad stars and the Pleiades have seen
tribes that then came to lie in their own earth.
تَقَضّىpassed away الناسُpeople جيلاًa generation بَعدَafter جيلٍa generation
تَقَضّى الناسُ جيلاً بَعدَ جيلٍ
وَخُلِّفَتِand were left behind النُجومُthe stars كَماjust as تَراهاyou see them
وَخُلِّفَتِ النُجومُ كَما تَراها
People have passed away, generation after generation,
while the stars were left behind, just as you see them.
قَراءُfeasting الوَحشِof wild beasts وَهيَwhile they are مُسَوَّماتٌfree-ranging
قَراءُ الوَحشِ وَهيَ مُسَوَّماتٌ
بِرَبّاتِwith the ladies of المَعاطِفِmantles مِنamong قِراهاtheir fare
بِرَبّاتِ المَعاطِفِ مِن قِراها
The wild beasts, as they roam free, are feasted
on ladies in mantles, as part of their fare.
وَماand not ظَلَمَwronged العَشيرَthe companion وَلاnor قِراهُhis hospitality
وَما ظَلَمَ العَشيرَ وَلا قِراهُ
ظَليمُa male ostrich المُقفِراتِof the barren wastes وَلاnor قُراهاtheir villages
ظَليمُ المُقفِراتِ وَلا قُراها
Neither its companion nor its hospitality has been wronged
by the ostrich of the wastes, nor their villages.
إِذاwhen رَجَعَreturned الحَصيفُthe prudent person إِلىto حِجاهُhis understanding
إِذا رَجَعَ الحَصيفُ إِلى حِجاهُ
تَهاوَنَmade light بِالمَذاهِبِof the doctrines وَاِزدَراهاand scorned them
تَهاوَنَ بِالمَذاهِبِ وَاِزدَراها
When the prudent man returns to his understanding,
he makes light of doctrines and scorns them.
فَخُذso take مِنهاfrom them بِماaccording to what أَدّاهُconveyed it لُبٌّreason
فَخُذ مِنها بِما أَدّاهُ لُبٌّ
وَلاand do not يَغمِسكَimmerse you جَهلٌignorance فيin صَراهاtheir stagnant waters
وَلا يَغمِسكَ جَهلٌ في صَراها
So take from them what reason has conveyed,
and let no ignorance plunge you into their stagnant waters.
وَهَتweakened أَديانُهُمtheir religions مِنfrom كُلِّevery وَجهٍside
وَهَت أَديانُهُم مِن كُلِّ وَجهٍ
فَهَلso is there عَقلٌintellect يُشَدُّare tightened بِهِby it عُراهاtheir bonds
فَهَل عَقلٌ يُشَدُّ بِهِ عُراها
Their religions have weakened on every side;
is there any intellect by which their bonds may be tightened?
أَتَعلَمُdo they know? جارِساتٌbuzzing bees فيin جِبالٍmountains
أَتَعلَمُ جارِساتٌ في جِبالٍ
أَراهاshowed them قَبلَهاbefore them سَلَفٌa forebear أَراهاtheir honey
أَراها قَبلَها سَلَفٌ أَراها
Do bees buzzing in the mountains—
a forebear before them showed them their honey—
بِماof what فيهِin it المَعاشِرُhuman communities مِنof فَسادٍcorruption
بِما فيهِ المَعاشِرُ مِن فَسادٍ
تَوارىwas hidden فيin الجَوانِحِthe breasts أَوor وَراهاbehind them
تَوارى في الجَوانِحِ أَو وَراها
know of the corruption within human communities,
hidden in their breasts or behind them?
قَضاءٌa decree مِنfrom إِلَهِكَyour God مُستَمِرٌّunceasing
قَضاءٌ مِن إِلَهِكَ مُستَمِرٌّ
غَدَتcame to be مِنهُbecause of it المَعاطِسُthe noses فيin بُراهاtheir nose-rings
غَدَت مِنهُ المَعاطِسُ في بُراها
An unceasing decree from your God:
because of it, noses are held in their nose-rings.
يَحُطُّbrings down إِلىto الفَوادِرِthe boulders كُلَّevery حينٍmoment
يَحُطُّ إِلى الفَوادِرِ كُلَّ حينٍ
مَنيعاتُunassailable ones الفَوادِرِthe she-ibex مِنfrom ذَراهاtheir heights
مَنيعاتُ الفَوادِرِ مِن ذَراها
It brings down to the boulders, time and again,
the unassailable she-ibex from their heights.
وَماand not تَبقىremain الأَراقِمُthe spotted snakes فيin حِماهاtheir sanctuaries
وَما تَبقى الأَراقِمُ في حِماها
وَلاnor الأُسدُthe lions الضَراغِمُthe mighty ones فيin شَراهاtheir thickets
وَلا الأُسدُ الضَراغِمُ في شَراها
Spotted snakes do not remain in their sanctuaries,
nor mighty lions in their thickets.
تَقَدَّمَcame earlier صاحِبُthe bearer of التَوراةِthe Torah موسىMoses
تَقَدَّمَ صاحِبُ التَوراةِ موسى
وَأَوقَعَand cast فيinto الخَسارِruin مَنِwhoever اِفتَراهاfabricated it
وَأَوقَعَ في الخَسارِ مَنِ اِفتَراها
Moses, bearer of the Torah, came before,
and brought to ruin whoever fabricated it.
وَقالَand said رِجالُهُhis followers وَحيٌa revelation أَتاهُcame to him
وَقالَ رِجالُهُ وَحيٌ أَتاهُ
وَقالَand said الظالِمونَthe unjust بَلِrather اِفتَراهاhe fabricated it
وَقالَ الظالِمونَ بَلِ اِفتَراها
His followers said, 'A revelation came to him';
the unjust said, 'Rather, he fabricated it.'
أَعِبرِيٌّa Hebrew? تَهَوَّكَplunged blindly فيinto حَديثٍa tale
أَعِبرِيٌّ تَهَوَّكَ في حَديثٍ
فَباعَthen sold المُشكِلاتِthe puzzles كَماjust as اِشتَراهاhe bought them
فَباعَ المُشكِلاتِ كَما اِشتَراها
Did a Hebrew plunge blindly into a tale,
then sell its puzzles just as he had bought them?
وَغاياتٌand goals بُسِطنَwere laid out إِلىtoward أُمورٍundertakings
وَغاياتٌ بُسِطنَ إِلى أُمورٍ
جَراهاpursued them الآجِرونَthe hirelings كَماjust as جَراهاhe pursued them
جَراها الآجِرونَ كَما جَراها
And goals were laid out for undertakings,
which hirelings pursued just as he pursued them.
أَرىI see أُمَّthe Mother of القُرىTowns خُصَّتwas singled out بِهَجرٍfor abandonment
أَرى أُمَّ القُرى خُصَّت بِهَجرٍ
وَسارَتand moved نَملُthe ants of مَكَّةَMecca عَنaway from قِراهاtheir nests
وَسارَت نَملُ مَكَّةَ عَن قِراها
I see the Mother of Towns singled out for abandonment,
and Mecca's ants have moved away from their nests.
وَكَمand how often سَرَتِtraveled by night الرِفاقُthe bands of travelers إِلىto صَلاحٍSalah
وَكَم سَرَتِ الرِفاقُ إِلى صَلاحٍ
فَمارَسَتِand endured الشَدائِدَthe hardships فيduring سُراهاtheir night journey
فَمارَسَتِ الشَدائِدَ في سُراها
How often bands of travelers journeyed by night to Salah,
and endured hardships on their night journey.
يُوافونَthey visit البَنِيَّةَthe sacred building كُلَّevery عامٍyear
يُوافونَ البَنِيَّةَ كُلَّ عامٍ
لِيُلقواto cast المُخزِياتِdisgraceful deeds عَلىupon قُراهاits villages
لِيُلقوا المُخزِياتِ عَلى قُراها
They visit the sacred building every year,
to cast disgraceful deeds upon its villages.
ضُيوفٌguests ماnot قَراهاentertained them اللَهُGod عَفواًfreely
ضُيوفٌ ما قَراها اللَهُ عَفواً
وَلَكِنbut مِنfrom نَوائِبِهاits calamities قَراهاHe entertained them
وَلَكِن مِن نَوائِبِها قَراها
Guests whom God did not entertain freely,
but entertained with its calamities.
وَماand not سَيريmy journey إِلىto أَحجارِthe stones of بَيتٍa house
وَما سَيري إِلى أَحجارِ بَيتٍ
كُؤوسُcups of الخَمرِwine تُشرَبُare drunk فيin ذَراهاtheir shelter
كُؤوسُ الخَمرِ تُشرَبُ في ذَراها
I do not journey to the stones of a house
where cups of wine are drunk in their shelter.
وَلَمand not تَزَلِceased الأَباطِحُthe pebbly valleys مُنذُsince كانَتthey existed
وَلَم تَزَلِ الأَباطِحُ مُنذُ كانَت
يُدَنَّسُare defiled مِنby فَواجِرُهاtheir wanton women بُراهاtheir anklets
يُدَنَّسُ مِن فَواجِرُها بُراها
The pebble-strewn valleys, ever since they existed,
have had their anklets defiled by their wanton women.
وَبَينَand between يَدَيthe two hands of جَميعِall الناسِpeople خَطبٌa calamity
وَبَينَ يَدَي جَميعِ الناسِ خَطبٌ
لَهُbecause of it نَسِيَتforgot مُوَلَّعَةٌa besotted woman غَراهاher passion
لَهُ نَسِيَت مُوَلَّعَةٌ غَراها
Before all people lies a calamity
that makes a besotted woman forget her passion.
مَهالِكُdeadly perils إِنif أَجَزتَyou crossed الخَرقَthe trackless waste مِنهاamong them
مَهالِكُ إِن أَجَزتَ الخَرقَ مِنها
فَأَنتَthen you are سُلَيكُهاtheir Sulayk أَوor شَنفَراهاtheir Shanfara
فَأَنتَ سُلَيكُها أَو شَنفَراها
Deadly perils—if you cross their trackless waste,
you are their Sulayk or their Shanfara.
بَدَتappeared كُرَةٌa ball كَأَنَّas though الوَقتَTime لاهٍplaying
بَدَت كُرَةٌ كَأَنَّ الوَقتَ لاهٍ
بِهاwith it عَزَّexalted is المُهَيمِنُthe Guardian إِذwhen كَراهاHe struck it
بِها عَزَّ المُهَيمِنُ إِذ كَراها
A ball appeared, as though Time were playing
with it—exalted is the Guardian who struck it!
تَبارَكَblessed is مَنHe who أَدارَset revolving بَناتِthe Daughters of نَعشٍthe Bier
تَبارَكَ مَن أَدارَ بَناتِ نَعشٍ
وَمَنand He who بَرَأَcreated النَعائِمَthe Ostriches فيin حَراهاtheir precincts
وَمَن بَرَأَ النَعائِمَ في حَراها
Blessed is He who set the Daughters of the Bier revolving,
and He who created the Ostriches in their precincts.
تَمارىdisputed القَومُthe people فيover الدَعوىthe claim وَهَبّواand rushed
تَمارى القَومُ في الدَعوى وَهَبّوا
إِلىto الدُنياthe world فَكُلُّهُمُso all of them مَراهاmilked it
إِلى الدُنيا فَكُلُّهُمُ مَراها
The people disputed over the claim and rushed
toward the world, and every one of them milked it.
وَكَمand how often جَمَعَamassed النَفائِسَprecious things رَبُّa master of مالٍwealth
وَكَم جَمَعَ النَفائِسَ رَبُّ مالٍ
فَلَمّاbut when جَدَّacted earnestly مُرتَحِلاًdeparting ذَراهاscattered them
فَلَمّا جَدَّ مُرتَحِلاً ذَراها
How often a man of wealth amassed precious things,
but when he earnestly departed, he scattered them.
تَظَلُّremain عُيونُthe eyes of هَذاthis الدَهرِage خُزراًsidelong
تَظَلُّ عُيونُ هَذا الدَهرِ خُزراً
تَعُدُّcount الماشِياتِthose walking وَخَوزَراهاand their swaggering gait
تَعُدُّ الماشِياتِ وَخَوزَراها
The eyes of this age remain sidelong,
counting those who walk and their swaggering gait.
كَتائِبُbattalions مِنسَراهاtheir two vanguards اللَيلُnight يُتلىis followed
كَتائِبُ مِنسَراها اللَيلُ يُتلى
بِصُبحٍby dawn يُؤمَنُone is safe مِنfrom سَراهاtheir night marches
بِصُبحٍ يُؤمَنُ مِن سَراها
Battalions: their two vanguards are night, followed
by dawn, when one is safe from their night marches.
وَأَدواءٌand diseases ثَوىlay بُقراطُHippocrates مَيتاًdead
وَأَدواءٌ ثَوى بُقراطُ مَيتاً
وَجالينوسُand Galen فادَdied وَماand not دَراهاknew them
وَجالينوسُ فادَ وَما دَراها
And diseases—Hippocrates lay dead,
and Galen died without understanding them.
وَماand not اِنفَكَّceased الزَمانُtime بِغَيرِwithout جُرمٍguilt
وَما اِنفَكَّ الزَمانُ بِغَيرِ جُرمٍ
طَوائِفُهُits divisions تُطيعُobey مَنِwhoever اِدَّراهاlured them
طَوائِفُهُ تُطيعُ مَنِ اِدَّراها
Time has always remained guiltless,
its divisions obeying whoever lured them.
أَهَذيis this الدارُabode مُلكٌproperty لِاِبنِof a son of أَرضٍearth
أَهَذي الدارُ مُلكٌ لِاِبنِ أَرضٍ
بِهاin it رامَsought المُقامَresidence أَمِor اِكتَراهاhe rented it
بِها رامَ المُقامَ أَمِ اِكتَراها
Is this abode the property of a son of earth,
where he sought to remain, or did he rent it?
عَلىwith كُرهٍreluctance تَيَمَّمَهاhe made for it فَأَلقىthen laid down
عَلى كُرهٍ تَيَمَّمَها فَأَلقى
بِهاin it رَحلاًa saddle وَعَنand from سُخطٍdiscontent شَراهاhe sold it
بِها رَحلاً وَعَن سُخطٍ شَراها
Reluctantly he made for it, then laid down
a saddle there, and resentfully sold it.
وَماand not بَرِحَceased الوَجيفُthe galloping عَلىupon المَطاياthe mounts
وَما بَرِحَ الوَجيفُ عَلى المَطايا
وَتِلكَand those نُفوسُناour souls حَتّىuntil بَراهاit wore them out
وَتِلكَ نُفوسُنا حَتّى بَراها
The galloping upon the mounts never ceased—
and those are our souls—until it wore them out.
إِذاif ماever حُرَّةٌa freeborn woman هُرِيَتwas clubbed وَسيفَتand struck with swords
إِذا ما حُرَّةٌ هُرِيَت وَسيفَت
فَمَنthen who سافَstruck with swords الإِماءَthe slave women وَمَنand who هَراهاclubbed them
فَمَن سافَ الإِماءَ وَمَن هَراها
If ever a freeborn woman was clubbed and struck with swords,
who struck the slave women with swords, and who clubbed them?
وَنَحنُand we كَأَنَّناas though we are هَملٌuntended livestock بِجَدبٍin drought
وَنَحنُ كَأَنَّنا هَملٌ بِجَدبٍ
عُراةٌnaked لاnot نُمَكِّنُwe empower مَنwhoever عَراهاcame upon them
عُراةٌ لا نُمَكِّنُ مَن عَراها
And we are like untended livestock in drought,
naked, unable to aid whoever comes upon them.
شَبابُكَyour youth مِثلَlike جِنحِthe wing of اللَيلِnight فَاِنظُرso consider
شَبابُكَ مِثلَ جِنحِ اللَيلِ فَاِنظُر
أَعادَhas one returned? إِلىto الشَبيبَةِyouth مَنwhoever سَراهاjourneyed through it by night
أَعادَ إِلى الشَبيبَةِ مَن سَراها
Your youth is like the wing of night, so consider:
has anyone who traveled through it by night returned to youth?
وَماand not نالَattained الهَجينُthe base-born man مِنَany of المعاليthe high honors
وَما نالَ الهَجينُ مِنَ المعالي
إِذاwhen خَطَبَcourted الكَريمَةَthe noblewoman وَاِستَراهاand chose her
إِذا خَطَبَ الكَريمَةَ وَاِستَراها
The base-born man gains none of the high honors
when he courts a noblewoman and chooses her.
أَنَرهَبُshould we fear? هَذِهِthis الغَبراءَdusty earth ناراًa fire
أَنَرهَبُ هَذِهِ الغَبراءَ ناراً
تُطَبِّقُengulfs مِثلَlike ماhow تَهويfall سَراهاits heights
تُطَبِّقُ مِثلَ ما تَهوي سَراها
Should we dread this dusty earth becoming a fire
that engulfs it as its heights collapse?
فَإِنَّfor indeed اللَهَGod غَيرُnot مَلومِblamed فِعلٍfor an action
فَإِنَّ اللَهَ غَيرُ مَلومِ فِعلٍ
إِذاif أَورىHe kindled الوَقودَthe fuel عَلىupon وَراهاits people
إِذا أَورى الوَقودَ عَلى وَراها
For God is not to be blamed for His deeds
if He kindles the fuel upon its people.
Sol 6.1