مَغناكِyour abode مُلتَهِبٌablaze وَكَأسُكِand your cup مُترَعهbrimming
مَغناكِ مُلتَهِبٌ وَكَأسُكِ مُترَعه
فَاِسقيso give drink to أَباكِyour father الخَمرwine وَاِضطَجِعيand lie down مَعَهwith him
فَاِسقي أَباكِ الخَمر وَاِضطَجِعي مَعَه
Your abode is ablaze, and your cup is brimming.
Your passion inflamed, your cup overflowing,
So give your father wine, and lie down with him.
Give your father wine, lie with him unknowing,
لَمdid not تُبقِleave فيon شَفَتَيكِyour lips لذاتُpleasures الدِماblood
لَم تُبقِ في شَفَتَيكِ لذاتُ الدِما
ماanything that تَذكُرينَyou recall بِهِthrough it حَليبَmilk المرضعهthe wet nurse
ما تَذكُرينَ بِهِ حَليبَ المرضعه
The pleasures of blood have not left upon your lips
No longer on your lips the taste of milk
anything to remind you of the wet nurse's milk.
That nourished your infancy, all forsaking,
قوميrise اِدخُليenter ياO بنتُdaughter لوطLot عَلىinto الخنىlewdness
قومي اِدخُلي يا بنتُ لوط عَلى الخنى
وَاِزنيand fornicate فَإِنَّfor indeed أَباكِyour father مهّدَprepared مَضجَعَهhis bed
وَاِزني فَإِنَّ أَباكِ مهّدَ مَضجَعَه
Rise, enter into lewdness, O daughter of Lot,
Arise, enter in, O daughter of Lot's kin,
and fornicate, for your father has prepared his bed.
Your father's bed awaits, his lust unslaking,
إِنif تُرجِعيyou return دَمكyour blood الشَهِيِّluscious لِنَبعَهto its spring
إِن تُرجِعي دَمك الشَهِيِّ لِنَبعَه
كَمhow many جَدوَلٍa stream فيon الأَرضِthe earth راجِعreturned to مَنبَعَهits source
كَم جَدوَلٍ في الأَرضِ راجِع مَنبَعَه
If you return your luscious blood to its spring,
If to its source your crimson blood returns
how many a stream on earth has returned to its source!
Like streams that to their springs are backward making,
لاdo not تَعبَأيpay heed بِعِقابto the punishment of رَبِّكِyour Lord إِنَّهُindeed it
لا تَعبَأي بِعِقاب رَبِّكِ إِنَّهُ
جُرثومَةٌa germ منfrom نارِكِyour fire المُتَدَفِّعَهsurging
جُرثومَةٌ من نارِكِ المُتَدَفِّعَه
Do not heed your Lord's punishment: it is
Heed not your Lord's retribution, 'tis but
a germ from your surging fire.
Sparks from your fiery lust to you outbreaking,
فيin صَدرِكِyour breast المَحمومِfevered كِبريتٌsulfur إِذاwhen
في صَدرِكِ المَحمومِ كِبريتٌ إِذا
لَعِبَتplayed بِهِwith it الشَهَواتُthe passions فَجَّرblasted apart أَضلُعُهits ribs
لَعِبَت بِهِ الشَهَواتُ فَجَّر أَضلُعُه
In your fevered breast lies sulfur; when
Within your fevered breast sulfuric ore
passions play with it, it blasts its ribs apart.
When lusts play with will ribs detonating,
فَبِكُلِّso in every صَقعٍregion مِنof ضُلوعِكyour ribs قِسمَةa share
فَبِكُلِّ صَقعٍ مِن ضُلوعِك قِسمَة
خِلَعٌrobes of honor عَلىupon لَهَبthe flame الشَبابِyouth موزَّعَهdistributed
خِلَعٌ عَلى لَهَب الشَبابِ موزَّعَه
So in every region of your ribs lies a share
On each your ribs a pendant hangs displayed
of robes of honor, distributed upon youth's flame.
On the necklace of youthful lusts partaking,
إيهah سدومُSodom بُعثتِyou were resurrected مِنfrom خَلِلِthe midst اللظىthe blaze
إيه سدومُ بُعثتِ مِن خَلِلِ اللظى
حَمراءَcrimson فيin شَهَواتِكِyour passions المُتَسَرِّعَهimpetuous
حَمراءَ في شَهَواتِكِ المُتَسَرِّعَه
Ah, Sodom, you were resurrected from amid the blaze,
O Sodom risen from the flames of shame
crimson in your headlong passions.
With lusts through every age re-awaking,
فيin كُلِّevery جيلٍgeneration مِنfrom لَهيبِكِyour flame سُنَّةa tradition
في كُلِّ جيلٍ مِن لَهيبِكِ سُنَّة
سَكرىdrunken محطَّمَةshattered عَلَيهِupon it مُخَلَّعَهdisjointed
سَكرى محطَّمَة عَلَيهِ مُخَلَّعَه
In every generation, from your flame comes a tradition,
On each wave of your flames a custom lies
drunken, shattered upon it, disjointed.
Drunken, broken, on new wine ever saking,
عَقَبتled back بيَwith me الذِكرىmemory إِلَيكِto you فَأَشعَلَتthen set ablaze
عَقَبت بيَ الذِكرى إِلَيكِ فَأَشعَلَت
قَلبيmy heart وَأَجفانيand my eyelids رُؤاكِyour visions الموجِعَهagonizing
قَلبي وَأَجفاني رُؤاكِ الموجِعَه
Memory brought me back to you; then were set ablaze
The past led me back to you, and lit
my heart and eyelids by your agonizing visions.
My heart, my lids, with vision sorrowing,
شاهَدتI saw مِنthrough خَلَلِgaps اللَهيبِthe flames حَدائِقاًgardens
شاهَدت مِن خَلَلِ اللَهيبِ حَدائِقاً
كانَتwere نَواضِرَlush فيin الفُصولِthe seasons الأَربَعَةfour
كانَت نَواضِرَ في الفُصولِ الأَربَعَة
I saw, through gaps in the flames, gardens
Beyond the flames, gardens I witnessed, flowers
that were lush in all four seasons.
Blooming in every season, joy outpaking,
نَشَقَتinhaled مِنfrom الفِردَوسِParadise عبقَةthe fragrance سِحرهِits magic
نَشَقَت مِن الفِردَوسِ عبقَة سِحرهِ
وَمنand from السَماءِheaven طُيوبِهاits perfumes المُتَضَوِّعهwafting
وَمن السَماءِ طُيوبِها المُتَضَوِّعه
They inhaled from Paradise the fragrance of its magic,
Wafting enchantment from Paradise,
and from heaven its wafting perfumes.
And heavens above their sweetness down-shaking,
خَضراءَgreen طاهِرَةpure الغراسthe plantings كَأَنَّهاas though they
خَضراءَ طاهِرَة الغراس كَأَنَّها
بِصَفاءِin the purity of عَدنٍEden لاnot تَزالُcease to be مُبَرقَعَهveiled
بِصَفاءِ عَدنٍ لا تَزالُ مُبَرقَعَه
Green, with pure plantings, as though they
Verdant, pure, their saplings so it seemed
were still veiled in Eden's purity.
As Eden in its chastity remaking,
وَكَأَنَّand as though مِنfrom تَكفيرِthe atonement of آدمAdam نَفحَةًa breath
وَكَأَنَّ مِن تَكفيرِ آدم نَفحَةً
فيهاin them وَمنand from صَلَواتِthe prayers of حَواءٍEve دِعهrepose
فيها وَمن صَلَواتِ حَواءٍ دِعه
And as though a breath of Adam's atonement
As if Adam's remorse breathed paradise
were within them, and repose from Eve's prayers.
And Eve's prayers this fertility were slaking,
وَرَأَيتُand I saw غَدراناًpools مَراضِعwet nurses تُربَةsoil
وَرَأَيتُ غَدراناً مَراضِع تُربَة
بِأَجِنَّةwith embryos of الزهرthe flowers النَدِيِّdewy مرصَّعَهstudded
بِأَجِنَّة الزهر النَدِيِّ مرصَّعَه
And I saw pools, wet nurses to the soil,
I saw the meadows' nurses nurturing
studded with embryos of dewy flowers,
With buds like Children in their bosoms taking,
وَمراوِحand the fans of الفَجرِthe dawn الجَميلِbeautiful عَلىupon الذَرىthe heights
وَمراوِح الفَجرِ الجَميلِ عَلى الذَرى
يَلقىfinds عَلَيهاupon them كُلَّevery طيرٍbird مخدَعَهits bedchamber
يَلقى عَلَيها كُلَّ طيرٍ مخدَعَه
and the fans of lovely dawn upon the heights,
And the soft dawns upon the grasses strewing
on which every bird finds its bedchamber.
Seeds for the feathered choirs their rest forsaking,
وَرَأَيتُand I saw حوراًhouris فيin شُفوفِthe sheer veils of زَنابِقlilies
وَرَأَيتُ حوراً في شُفوفِ زَنابِق
بَيضاءwhite منfrom لَبَنmilk الجنانthe gardens مُشَبَّعَهsaturated
بَيضاء من لَبَن الجنان مُشَبَّعَه
And I saw houris in the sheer veils of lilies,
I saw houris in cups of lilies white
white, steeped in the milk of the gardens.
With the milk of heaven nourished, pure partaking,
نَفخblew الصِباyouth بنُهودِهاinto their breasts فَتَكَوَّرَتso they grew round
نَفخ الصِبا بنُهودِها فَتَكَوَّرَت
وَتَبَسَّمَتand smiled عَنrevealing وَردَةٍa rose مُتَرَفِّعَهupraised
وَتَبَسَّمَت عَن وَردَةٍ مُتَرَفِّعَه
Youth breathed into their breasts, and they grew round,
The gentle breeze their breasts blew open, smiled,
and smiled, revealing an upraised rose.
A haughty rose above them undertaking,
ماذاwhat فَعَلتِhave you done سُدومُSodom أَينَwhere جَواذِبٌcharms
ماذا فَعَلتِ سُدومُ أَينَ جَواذِبٌ
كانَتwere عَلىupon تِلكَthose الخُدورِsecluded chambers مجمَّعَهgathered
كانَت عَلى تِلكَ الخُدورِ مجمَّعَه
What have you done, Sodom? Where are the charms
What has Sodom done, where are the charms
that were gathered about those secluded chambers?
That once her cheeks and brows were overtaking?
فيمَwhy اِستَحالَturned لُبانُكِyour milk الناميgrowing إِلىinto
فيمَ اِستَحالَ لُبانُكِ النامي إِلى
خَمرwine بكاساتِin the goblets of الفجورِdebauchery مُشَعشَعَةdiluted
خَمر بكاساتِ الفجورِ مُشَعشَعَة
Why has your growing milk turned into
How has your growing milk to poison turned
wine, diluted in the goblets of debauchery?
In the wine-cups of vice raised high partaking?
ذَوَّبَتyou diluted خَمرِكِyour wine لاnot لِيُصبِحso it may become طاهِراًpure
ذَوَّبَت خَمرِكِ لا لِيُصبِح طاهِراً
لكِنbut لِيَستَهويso it may entice النُفوسَsouls فَتَجرَعَهso they gulp it down
لكِن لِيَستَهوي النُفوسَ فَتَجرَعَه
You diluted your wine, not to make it pure,
Your wine dissolves to make hearts captive, not
but so it might entice souls, and they might gulp it down.
Pure, but so souls may deeply of it slaking,
وَجَعَلتِand you made غَرغَرَةَthe gurgling of الأَفاعيthe vipers كَأسَهits cup
وَجَعَلتِ غَرغَرَةَ الأَفاعي كَأسَه
لِيَذوقَso it may taste مِنهاfrom it كُلَّevery قَلبٍheart مَصرَعَهits death
لِيَذوقَ مِنها كُلَّ قَلبٍ مَصرَعَه
And you made the gurgling of vipers its cup,
The hissing snakes' venom your drink's become
so every heart might taste its death from it.
That every heart may sip and pierced be breaking,
سَكَرَتgrew drunk بِكِon you الدُنياthe world سدومُSodom فَكلَّهاso all of it
سَكَرَت بِكِ الدُنيا سدومُ فَكلَّها
زمرٌbands عَلىalong طرقthe roads of الحَياةِlife مُتَعتَعهstaggering
زمرٌ عَلى طرق الحَياةِ مُتَعتَعه
The world grew drunk on you, Sodom; so all of it is
The world is drunk on you Sodom, become but
bands staggering along the roads of life.
Throngs on life's road in crazed debauch awaking,
وَأَثرَتِand you roused حُنجُرَةthe throat of الفجورdebauchery فَأَطلَقَتso it unleashed
وَأَثرَتِ حُنجُرَة الفجور فَأَطلَقَت
حِمَماًlava عَلىto نَغَمِthe melodies of الجَحيمِhell مُوَقَّعَهrhythmically set
حِمَماً عَلى نَغَمِ الجَحيمِ مُوَقَّعَه
And you roused the throat of debauchery, and it unleashed
You trained the throat of vice and it let loose
lava set to the melodies of hell:
Songs from hell played on strings set a quaking,
أَغنيَّةa song حَمراءcrimson أَنشَدَهاsang it الخنىlewdness
أَغنيَّة حَمراء أَنشَدَها الخنى
مِزَقاًin shreds عَلىupon أَوتارِكِyour strings المُتَقَطِّعَهbroken
مِزَقاً عَلى أَوتارِكِ المُتَقَطِّعَه
a crimson song that lewdness sang
Scarlet melodies the perverse have sung
in shreds upon your broken strings.
On your shattered strings jarring notes making,
أَسدومَO Sodom هذاthis العَصرage لَنwill not تَتَحَجَّبيyou veil yourself
أَسدومَ هذا العَصر لَن تَتَحَجَّبي
فَبِوَجهِfor in the face of أمكِyour mother ماnot بَرِحَتِyou have ceased مُقَنَّعَهmasked
فَبِوَجهِ أمكِ ما بَرِحَتِ مُقَنَّعَه
O Sodom of this age, you will not veil yourself,
Sodom of this age, you'll not conceal your face
for you are still masked in your mother's face.
Which, by your mother's, shamefully partaking,
كانَتshe was مُنَكَّرَةunrecognizable كَوَجهِكِlike your face عِندَماwhen
كانَت مُنَكَّرَة كَوَجهِكِ عِندَما
هَبَّتblew عَلَيهاover her مِنfrom جَهَنَّمhell زَوبَعَهa whirlwind
هَبَّت عَلَيها مِن جَهَنَّم زَوبَعَه
She was unrecognizable, like your face, when
When hell's whirlwinds blew, horror was her face,
a whirlwind from hell swept over her.
As horror is your unveiled face's making,
قَذفتكhurled at you صحراءُthe desert of الزِنىfornication بِحَضارَةwith a civilization
قَذفتك صحراءُ الزِنى بِحَضارَة
ثَكلىbereaved مُشَوَّهَةِdisfigured الوُجوهِthe faces مُفَجَّعَهgrief-stricken
ثَكلى مُشَوَّهَةِ الوُجوهِ مُفَجَّعَه
The desert of fornication hurled a civilization at you,
The desert of whoredoms birthed your civilization,
bereaved, its faces disfigured, grief-stricken:
Bereft of children, faces horror-shaken,
بُؤرٌhotbeds مُسَتَّرَةconcealed الفَسادِthe corruption بخدعةby a trick
بُؤرٌ مُسَتَّرَة الفَسادِ بخدعة
نَكراءَmonstrous بِالخَزِّwith silken cloth الشَهِيِّenticing مُرَقَّعَهpatched
نَكراءَ بِالخَزِّ الشَهِيِّ مُرَقَّعَه
hotbeds, their corruption concealed by a trick—
Debauched dens masked in guises of rectitude,
a monstrous one—themselves patched with enticing silk.
Hypocrisy's rags o'er their sinful ways taking,
Sol 6.1