وحاذقٍand a skilled craftsman مُحْكِمٌperfecting كُنافَتَهhis kunafa
وحاذقٍ مُحْكِمٌ كُنافَتَه
لاnot تَشْبَعis sated العينُthe eye منهof him بالنَّظَرِby looking
لا تَشْبَع العينُ منه بالنَّظَرِ
And a deft craftsman, perfecting his kunafa—
A deft and skilled confectioner is he
The eye cannot have its fill of watching him.
The eye cannot be sated by looking upon him
كأنماas though بَسْطُهhis spreading العجينَthe batter علىupon
كأنما بَسْطُه العجينَ على
أكراهhis griddles (uncertain reading) لماwhen حُفَّتthey were surrounded بمستِعرby blazing fire
أكراه لما حُفَّت بمستِعر
As though his spreading the batter upon
As though he spreads the dough upon
his griddles, when ringed with blazing fire,
Hot stones when it is wrapped in live coals
يَنْسجweaves غَيْماًa cloud منfrom السحابthe clouds علىover
يَنْسج غَيْماً من السحاب على
وامضِflashing برقٍlightning يَكْتَنُّis concealed بالمطرin rain
وامضِ برقٍ يَكْتَنُّ بالمطر
were weaving a cloud from the clouds over
He weaves a cloud from the clouds over
flashing lightning cloaked in rain.
Flashing lightning that is heavy with rain
كأنهas though he يفتحopens الفواقعَthe bubbles داcir- (first part of 'circles')
كأنه يفتح الفواقعَ دا
راتٍ-cles (completes 'circles') علىupon راكدٍstill water منof الغُدُرthe pools
راتٍ على راكدٍ من الغُدُر
As though he were opening bubbles in cir-
It's as if he opens dazzling seas
cles upon the still water of pools.
Of milk over still ponds of treachery
فهْيso they كمثلِjust like السَّرابthe mirage يُعْدَمis absent منfrom
فهْي كمثلِ السَّراب يُعْدَم من
هاthem اللمسُtouch وهْماas an illusion يلوحglimmers للبصرto the eye
ها اللمسُ وهْما يلوح للبصر
They are like a mirage: absent from
It's like a mirage that perishes the moment
them is touch—an illusion glimmering to the eye.
You touch it though it shines before one's sight
Sol 6.1