الْكَاتِبُthe writer النِّحْرِيرُthe masterful مُنْone who
الْكَاتِبُ النِّحْرِيرُ مُنْ
فِيin صَدْرِهِhis breast الْعِلْمُknowledge الرَّغِيبْabundant
فِي صَدْرِهِ الْعِلْمُ الرَّغِيبْ
The masterful writer is one
The eloquent writer has
in whose breast lies abundant knowledge.
Knowledge that appeals in his heart
مَاذَاwhat الرِّشَاءُthe well-rope وَمَاand what الدِّلاَءُthe buckets
مَاذَا الرِّشَاءُ وَمَا الدِّلاَءُ
وَدُونَهَاand beneath them نَضْبُthe drying up of الْقَلِيبْthe well
وَدُونَهَا نَضْبُ الْقَلِيبْ
What use is the well-rope, and what use are the buckets,
What is bribery and what is mediation
when the well beneath them has run dry?
And beneath it, drying of the mind
Sol 6.1