قدindeed قامrose فوقabove السهولthe plains أوحدalone
قد قام فوق السهول أوحد
كأنهas though it were القاهرthe conqueror المقيدthe shackled one
كأنه القاهر المقيد
It has risen alone above the plains,
Alone he stood upon the plains
As though it were a conqueror in chains.
Like a conqueror, though bound,
يعترضintercepts السحبthe clouds فيin سماهاtheir sky
يعترض السحب في سماها
وهولناand it is for us فيin النهارthe daytime فرقدFarqad, a guiding star
وهولنا في النهار فرقد
It intercepts the clouds in their sky,
Obstructing clouds in endless skies
And by day it is our Farqad star.
While he slumbers through the light of day
تزيلهwould wear it away كثرةالمراودa multitude of kohl-sticks
تزيله كثرةالمراود
لوif كانwere هذاthis الجمادthe lifeless mass أثمدantimony
لو كان هذا الجماد أثمد
A multitude of kohl-sticks would wear it away,
His image fades with frequent mirages
If this lifeless mass were antimony.
If only this inanimate object were more rigid
نخالهwe imagine it كلماwhenever اقتربناwe draw near
نخاله كلما اقتربنا
فيin سيرناour journey منtoward حماهits domain أبعدfarther away
في سيرنا من حماه أبعد
We imagine it, whenever we draw near,
We thought him nearer, approaching
Farther away as we journey toward its domain.
Yet farther as we walked on from his protection
ثمthen وصلناهwe reached it بعدafter سيرa journey
ثم وصلناه بعد سير
أتعبwearied أجسامناour bodies وأجهدand exhausted
أتعب أجسامنا وأجهد
Then we reached it after a journey
Until we reached him after long travel
That wearied our bodies and exhausted them.
That wearied our bodies and exhausted them
نماgrew عليهupon it النباتthe vegetation فاعجبso marvel
نما عليه النبات فاعجب
علىat حياةlife سرتflowed منfrom الصلدthe solid rock
على حياة سرت من الصلد
Vegetation grew upon it—so marvel
Vegetation grew upon him, amazing,
At life that flowed from solid rock.
Life crept forth from such hardness
كأنas though بقعpatches الرمالthe sand عسجدgold
كأن بقع الرمال عسجد
رصعهاstudded them النبتthe vegetation كالزبرجدlike chrysolite
رصعها النبت كالزبرجد
The patches of sand seemed to be gold,
As if patches of sand bowed down
Studded with plants like chrysolite.
Adorned with plants like emerald
لمnot تخدعdeceive النفسthe soul ماwhat رأتit saw منof
لم تخدع النفس ما رأت من
زركشةornamentation فيin العروسthe bride تحمدis praised
زركشة في العروس تحمد
The soul was not deceived by what it saw of
The soul was not fooled by what it saw
Ornamentation praised in a bride.
Of ornament on the bride, to be praised
فأطرقتso it bowed its head ثمthen فيin خشوعreverence
فأطرقت ثم في خشوع
وهيwhile it بصنعto the handiwork القديرthe Almighty تشهدbears witness
وهي بصنع القدير تشهد
So then it bowed its head in reverence,
So it bent down, then in devotion
While bearing witness to the Almighty's handiwork.
Witnessing the work of the Almighty
وأدركتand I realized أننيthat I كهذاlike this الجمادthe lifeless mass
وأدركت أنني كهذا الجماد
فيin الحياةlife تخمدfades away
في الحياة تخمد
And I realized that I, like this lifeless mass,
And realized that I, like this inanimate object
Fade away in life.
In life, grow cold
Sol 6.1