ظَلَلتُI spent the day بِحُزنٍin sorrow إِنif بَداappeared البَرقُthe lightning غُدوَةًat dawn
ظَلَلتُ بِحُزنٍ إِن بَدا البَرقُ غُدوَةً
كَماas رَفَعَraised النارَthe fire البَصيرَةَbright قابِسُone fetching fire
كَما رَفَعَ النارَ البَصيرَةَ قابِسُ
I would spend the day in sorrow if lightning appeared at dawn,
as one fetching fire held a bright flame aloft.
إِذاwhen اِستَعجَلَتهُurged it onward الريحُthe wind حَلَّتunfastened نِطاقَهُits girdle
إِذا اِستَعجَلَتهُ الريحُ حَلَّت نِطاقَهُ
وَهاجَتand stirred لَهُfor it فيwithin المُعصِراتِthe rain clouds وَساوِسُmurmurs
وَهاجَت لَهُ في المُعصِراتِ وَساوِسُ
When the wind urged it onward, its girdle came undone,
and murmurs stirred for it within the rain clouds.
وَلاحَand it flashed كَماas نَشَرتَyou spread بِالكَفِّwith your palm طُرَّةًa border
وَلاحَ كَما نَشَرتَ بِالكَفِّ طُرَّةً
مِنَof البَردُthe striped cloak أَوor قاءَتvomited جُروحٌwounds قَوالِسُgushing
مِنَ البَردُ أَو قاءَت جُروحٌ قَوالِسُ
And it flashed as when you spread by hand a border
of a striped cloak, or as gushing wounds spewed forth.
وَشَقَّقَand rent أَعرافَthe crests السَحابِof the clouds اِلتِماعَةٌa flash
وَشَقَّقَ أَعرافَ السَحابِ اِلتِماعَةٌ
كَماas اِنصَدَعَتwere split بِالمَشرِفِيِّby the Mashrafi sword القَوانِسُhelmet-crests
كَما اِنصَدَعَت بِالمَشرِفِيِّ القَوانِسُ
And a flash rent the crests of the clouds,
as helmet-crests split beneath a Mashrafi sword.
فَماso it did not زالَcease حَتّىuntil النَبتُthe herbage يَرفَعُlifts نَفسَهُitself
فَما زالَ حَتّى النَبتُ يَرفَعُ نَفسَهُ
بِهامِupon the crowns الرُبىof the hills وَالعِرقُwhile the root فيin الأَرضِthe earth ناخِسُpiercing
بِهامِ الرُبى وَالعِرقُ في الأَرضِ ناخِسُ
So it continued until the herbage lifted itself
upon the hilltops, while its root pierced the earth.
مَضَىhas passed away عَجَبيmy wonder مِنat كُلِّevery شَيءٍthing رَأَيتُهُI saw it
مَضَى عَجَبي مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ رَأَيتُهُ
وَبانَتand became clear لِعَينَيَّto my eyes الأُمورُthe matters اللَوابِسُobscure
وَبانَت لِعَينَيَّ الأُمورُ اللَوابِسُ
My wonder at everything I have seen has passed away,
and obscure matters have become clear to my eyes.
وَإِنّيand indeed I رَأَيتُI have seen الدَهرَTime فيat كُلِّevery ساعَةٍhour
وَإِنّي رَأَيتُ الدَهرَ في كُلِّ ساعَةٍ
يَسيرُtravels بِنَفسِwith the life المَرءِof a man وَالمَرءُwhile the man جالِسُsitting
يَسيرُ بِنَفسِ المَرءِ وَالمَرءُ جالِسُ
And indeed I have seen Time, at every hour,
carry a man's life onward while the man sits still.
وَتَعتادُهُand keep returning to him الآمالُhopes حَتّىuntil تَحُطَّهُthey lower him
وَتَعتادُهُ الآمالُ حَتّى تَحُطَّهُ
إِلىinto تُربَةٍsoil فيهاin which لَهُنَّfor them فَرائِسُprey
إِلى تُربَةٍ فيها لَهُنَّ فَرائِسُ
And hopes keep returning to him until they lower him
into the soil, where they have their prey.
وَأَصدَعُand I cleave شَكّيmy doubt بِاليَقينِwith certainty وَإِنَّنيand indeed I
وَأَصدَعُ شَكّي بِاليَقينِ وَإِنَّني
لِنَفسيof my own self عَلىunder بَعضِsome المَساءَةِadversity حابِسُa restrainer
لِنَفسي عَلى بَعضِ المَساءَةِ حابِسُ
And I cleave my doubt with certainty, and indeed I
hold myself steadfast under some adversity.
Sol 6.1