كَدَحتُ بِأَظفاري وَأَعمَلتُ مِعوَلي

كَدَحتُ بِأَظفاري وَأَعمَلتُ مِعوَلي

فَصادَفتُ جُلموداً مِنَ الصَخرِ أَملَسا

فَصادَفتُ جُلموداً مِنَ الصَخرِ أَملَسا

I scraped with my fingernails and put my pickaxe to work.

I toiled with my nails and wielded my pickaxe

Then I encountered a smooth boulder of rock.

Only to meet an obstinate, smooth boulder

تَشاغَلَ لَمّا جِئتُ في وَجهِ حاجَتي

تَشاغَلَ لَمّا جِئتُ في وَجهِ حاجَتي

وَأَطرَقَ حَتّى قُلتُ قَد ماتَ أَو عَسى

وَأَطرَقَ حَتّى قُلتُ قَد ماتَ أَو عَسى

He feigned busyness when I came seeking what I needed.

It turned its face when I came for my need

And he bowed his head until I said, “He is dead—or may soon be.”

And hung its head until I said, “It’s dead, or nearly so”

وَأَجمَعتُ أَن أَنعاهُ حينَ رَأَيتُهُ

وَأَجمَعتُ أَن أَنعاهُ حينَ رَأَيتُهُ

يَفوقُ فُواقَ المَوتِ حَتّى تَنَفَّسا

يَفوقُ فُواقَ المَوتِ حَتّى تَنَفَّسا

And I resolved to announce his death when I saw him

I was ready to eulogize it when I saw it

Gasping the gasp of death, until he drew breath.

Transcending mortal silence, until it sighed

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا بَأسَ لَستُ بِعائِدٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لا بَأسَ لَستُ بِعائِدٍ

فَأَفرَخَ تَعلوهُ السَماديرُ مُبلِسا

فَأَفرَخَ تَعلوهُ السَماديرُ مُبلِسا

So I told him, “Do not worry; I shall not return.”

I said, “It’s alright, I won’t return”

Then he relaxed, a dizzy haze clouding him, mute with dismay.

Whereupon the reptiles spawned over its smooth surface