ماwhat بالُcondition أعلىthe upper reaches of قويقَQuwayq ينشرُunfurls منof
ما بالُ أعلى قويقَ ينشرُ من
وَشْيbrocade الربيعِof spring الجديدِnew ماwhat أدْرَجْit folded away
وَشْي الربيعِ الجديدِ ما أدْرَجْ
Why does upper Quwayq unfurl some of
What is it about the highest dome that spreads
new spring's brocade that it had folded away?
The scent of the new spring - how it mingles!
كأنماas though اختيرتِwere chosen الفصوصُthe gemstones لهfor it
كأنما اختيرتِ الفصوصُ له
بينbetween عقيقٍagate وبينand between فيروزجturquoise
بين عقيقٍ وبين فيروزج
As though the gemstones had been chosen for it
As though its stones were chosen out
from agate and turquoise.
From ruby and turquoise and pearl.
أماdo you not ترىyou see البِيعتينthe two churches أُفردتاboth were set apart
أما ترى البِيعتين أُفردتا
بمفردِby single-flowered الأقحوانdaisies والمُزْوَجand the double-flowered ones
بمفردِ الأقحوان والمُزْوَج
Do you not see the two churches set apart
Do you not see the two orchards left
by single- and double-flowered daisies?
For only the paired and single birds?
أثوابُهُits robes المزنُthe rain clouds كيفماhowever اتَّصَلَتْthey joined together
أثوابُهُ المزنُ كيفما اتَّصَلَتْ
ونارُهُand its fire البرقُthe lightning كيفماhowever أججit was kindled
ونارُهُ البرقُ كيفما أجج
Its robes are rain clouds, however they gather,
Its glowing robes, however they drape,
and its fire is lightning, however it is kindled.
Its lightning flash, however it flares,
والعَوجَانُand al-ʿAwajān الذيwhich كلفتُI am enamored بهwith it
والعَوجَانُ الذي كلفتُ به
قدindeed سُوِّيَwas set straight الحسنُbeauty فيهin it مذever since عَوَّجit curved
قد سُوِّيَ الحسنُ فيه مذ عَوَّج
And al-ʿAwajān, with which I am enamored—
And this crooked stream I was charged with,
beauty has been set straight in it ever since it curved.
Since I straightened it, how fair it fares!
ماnot أَخطأdiffered from الأيْمَthe serpent فيin تعوجهits winding
ما أَخطأ الأيْمَ في تعوجه
شيئاًin the least إذاwhen ماemphatic particle استقامَit ran straight أوor عرَّجit turned aside
شيئاً إذا ما استقامَ أو عرَّج
It is no different from a serpent in its winding,
No winding river ever went wrong
in the least, whether it runs straight or turns aside.
If rightly it wound, or crooked its course.
تدرَّجُripples الريحُthe wind مَتْنَهُits back فترىand so you see
تدرَّجُ الريحُ مَتْنَهُ فترى
جَوْشَنa coat of mail ماءٍof water عليهupon it قدalready درّجwas ridged
جَوْشَن ماءٍ عليه قد درّج
The wind ripples its back, and you see
The wind strides its middle and there you see
a coat of mail made of water, ridged upon it.
Foam like spilt water that surges and swirls.
إنif أعنقتْit sped بالجنوبِwith the south wind أعنقَit sped فيwith
إن أعنقتْ بالجنوبِ أعنقَ في
لُطْفٍgentleness وإنand if هَمْلَجَتْit ambled بهwith it هملجit ambled
لُطْفٍ وإن هَمْلَجَتْ به هملج
If the wind speeds from the south, the stream speeds with
If it sighs from the south it sighs gently there,
gentleness; and if the wind ambles with it, it ambles.
If it roars out of heaven it roars reconciled.
منfrom أينwherever طاقتencircled شمسُthe sun النهارِof day بهaround it
من أين طاقت شمسُ النهارِ به
حسبتَyou would think شمساًa sun منfrom جوفهits depths تخرجemerges
حسبتَ شمساً من جوفه تخرج
From whichever quarter the sun of day encircled it,
Whence did the eye of daylight gain such power
you would think a sun was emerging from its depths.
That a sun seemed burst from its throbbing heart?
Sol 6.1