ياoh حَبّذاhow lovely بِحَديقَةٍin a garden دُولابُa waterwheel
يا حَبّذا بِحَديقَةٍ دُولابُ
سَكَنَتْfound repose إلىin حَرَكَاتِهِits movements الألبَابُthe minds
سَكَنَتْ إلى حَرَكَاتِهِ الألبَابُ
Oh, how lovely is a waterwheel in a garden!
Oh what a blessing is the rotating garden
Minds found repose in its movements.
Where the mind settles into its motions
غَنّىit sang وَلَمْand did not يَطْرَبْfeel rapture وَسَقَّىand gave water وهوwhile it لمdid not
غَنّى وَلَمْ يَطْرَبْ وَسَقَّى وهو لم
يَشْرَبْdrink ومِنْهُand from it اللّحْنُthe melody والأكْوَابُand the cups
يَشْرَبْ ومِنْهُ اللّحْنُ والأكْوَابُ
It sang yet felt no rapture, and gave water, though it did not
It sang without rapture and watered while not
drink; from it came the melody and the cups.
Drinking itself, from it come tunes and cups
لَوif يَدّعيit were to claim لُطْفgentleness الهَواءthe air أوor الهَوىlove
لَو يَدّعي لُطْف الهَواء أو الهَوى
ماnot كُنْتَyou would be فيin تَصْديقِهِbelieving it تَرْتَابُyou doubt
ما كُنْتَ في تَصْديقِهِ تَرْتَابُ
If it claimed the gentleness of air or love,
If it claimed the gentleness of air or love
you would have no doubt in believing it.
You would not doubt its claim
لِلْعُودof wood (also: the lute) محْتدُهits origin وَمِلْءُand the filling of ضُلوعهits ribs
لِلْعُود محْتدُه وَمِلْءُ ضُلوعه
لإغاثَةto bring relief to الشّجَرthe trees اللّهيفthe distressed رَبَابُclouds
لإغاثَة الشّجَر اللّهيف رَبَابُ
Its stock is wood, and its ribs are filled
The oud has its tuned strings and its ribs filled
with clouds to succor the thirsting trees.
To relieve the fragile, shaking branches
وكَأنّهand it seems مِمّاbecause of how تَرَنّمit sang melodiously مَاجِنٌa libertine
وكَأنّه مِمّا تَرَنّم مَاجِنٌ
وكأنّهand it seems ممّاbecause of how بَكىit wept أوّابُa penitent
وكأنّه ممّا بَكى أوّابُ
And in its singing, it seems a libertine;
It's as if it echoes the humming of the drunk
and in its weeping, it seems a penitent.
And the cries of passionate lovers
وكَأنّهand it seems بِنُثَارهِwith its spray وَمَدارِهand its turning
وكَأنّه بِنُثَارهِ وَمَدارِه
فَلَكٌa celestial sphere كواكِبُهُits stars لَهاhave أذنابُtails
فَلَكٌ كواكِبُهُ لَها أذنابُ
And with its spray and its turning, it seems
As if its strings and cycles
a celestial sphere whose stars have tails.
Are a cosmos, its stars with tails
Sol 6.1