أَهلَO people of العُلومِthe sciences أُحاجيكُمI pose you a riddle بِوارِدَةٍabout a water-seeker
أَهلَ العُلومِ أُحاجيكُم بِوارِدَةٍ
لاnot تَرتَويshe drinks her fill ذاتpossessing إِبطاءٍslowness عَلىupon عَجَلَهa wheel
لا تَرتَوي ذات إِبطاءٍ عَلى عَجَلَه
O people of learning, I pose you a riddle about a water-seeker:
She never drinks her fill, slow-moving upon a wheel.
إِذاwhen اِستَوىstood upright بَينَbetween رِجلَيهاher two legs اِمرُؤٌa man نَطَقَتshe spoke
إِذا اِستَوى بَينَ رِجلَيها اِمرُؤٌ نَطَقَت
بِمُزعِجاتٍwith jarring noises مِنَof الأَصواتِthe sounds مُتَّصِلَهunceasing
بِمُزعِجاتٍ مِنَ الأَصواتِ مُتَّصِلَه
When a man stands upright between her two legs, she speaks
With jarring, unceasing sounds.
تَمشيshe walks وَقائِدُهاand her leader مِنfrom خَلفِهاbehind her أَبَداًalways
تَمشي وَقائِدُها مِن خَلفِها أَبَداً
تَميدُshe sways فيin المَشيِwalking كَالسَكرانَةِlike a drunken woman الثَمِلَهintoxicated
تَميدُ في المَشيِ كَالسَكرانَةِ الثَمِلَه
She walks, and her leader is always behind her.
She sways as she walks, like a woman utterly drunk.
صَعراءُcrooked-necked إِنif هِيَshe قامَتstood فَهيَthen she مائِلَةٌleaning
صَعراءُ إِن هِيَ قامَت فَهيَ مائِلَةٌ
وَإِنand if مَشَتshe walked فَهيَthen she كَالميزانِlike a balance مُعتَدِلَهlevel
وَإِن مَشَت فَهيَ كَالميزانِ مُعتَدِلَه
Crooked-necked, if she stands, she leans;
And if she walks, she is level like a balance.
مَحمولَةٌcarried وَهيَwhile she لِلأَثقالِof heavy loads حامِلَةٌa bearer
مَحمولَةٌ وَهيَ لِلأَثقالِ حامِلَةٌ
مُقيمَةٌstaying in place لاnot تَزالُshe ceases الدَهرَforever مُرتَحِلَهtraveling
مُقيمَةٌ لا تَزالُ الدَهرَ مُرتَحِلَه
She is carried, while she herself carries heavy loads;
She stays in place, yet is forever traveling.
Sol 6.1