بعد خلق الأكوان خلقا بديعا

وانكشاف الرقيع يزهو رفيعا

After the wondrous creation of the worlds,

And the unveiling of the firmament, splendid on high,

ويروز الجبال ما بينها الأن

هار تنساب جعفرا وربيعا

And the emergence of mountains, with rivers between them

Flowing as broad rivers and little streams,

وظهور الأزهار قد أحكمت تطر

يزها إصبعٌ تجيد الصنيعا

And flowers appearing, their embroidery perfected

By a finger adept at craftsmanship,

رفس اللّه أرضنا فغدت دا

ئرة في الفضاء دورا سريعا

God kicked our earth, and it began

Revolving swiftly in space.

ثم صاغ الانسان خلقا سويّا

عاقلا ناطقا بصيراً سميعا

Then He fashioned humankind, well-formed,

Rational, speaking, seeing, and hearing.

وأراد الإله أن يري الآن

سان ما صاغه تعالى جميعا

And God wished to show humankind

All that He, exalted, had fashioned.

فتدلّى وقاده شبه جبّا

رٍ عظيم يقود طفلا رضيعا

So He descended and led him, like a giant

Of mighty stature leading a suckling child.

وأراه البحار تحكي مروجا

والندى في الرياض يحكي دموعا

And He showed him seas resembling meadows,

And dew in the gardens resembling tears,

وألوفا من الأزاهر إن حا

ولت وصفا لها فلن أستطيعا

And thousands of flowers—if I tried

To describe them, I could not.

عندها طار لبّه وغدا من

حسنها والها سليبا صريعا

At that, his reason took flight, and he became, through

Their beauty, enraptured, bereft, and overcome.

وتمنّى لو ظلّ بالقرب منها

راتعا كلما أحبّ الرتوعا

And he wished he might remain close to them,

Reveling whenever he wished to revel.

وانحنى والفواد يخفق منه

وجنى وردة وسار هلوعا

And he bent down, his heart throbbing within him,

And plucked a rose and went on, anxious.

ورأى اللّه بعد ذا أن يري

مخلوقهُ منظرا ينسي الربيعا

And God then decided to show

His creature a sight that would make him forget spring.

فمضى سائرا به في جبال

ترهب الطير من علاها الوقاعا

So He went walking with him among mountains

Whose heights made birds afraid to alight.

ثم قال اجتل الخلائق هل

تبصر شيئا منها فهبّ مطيعا

Then He said, ‘Survey the creatures—do

You see any of them?’ So he rose obediently.

وجرى منه رائد الطرف لكن

حاسرا ردّ واستحبّ الرجوعا

And the scout of his gaze went forth, but

Turned back exhausted, preferring retreat.

ورأى حوله جبالا من الثلج

اكتست بالبياض لونا نصيعا

And he saw around him mountains of snow,

Clothed in a dazzling white hue.

فمشى نحوها وقد نال منها

كتلةً ظنّ أخذها ممنوعا

So he walked toward them and took from them

A lump he thought forbidden to take.

وغدا معجبا بملمسها الغض

وزادته بالبياض ولوعا

And he marveled at its tender touch,

And its whiteness deepened his infatuation.

ثم قال الرحمن قد حان أن

ننزل فالليل جاء يجري سريعا

Then the Merciful said, ‘It is time for us

To descend, for night has come rushing swiftly.’

ونجوم السماء قد ظهرت أن

وارها في الظلام تحكي شموعا

And the stars of heaven—their lights appeared

In the darkness, resembling candles.

ورآها المخلوق فاهتزّ لا بل

ودّ لو يرتقي إليها طلوعا

And the creature saw them and was stirred—no, rather,

He longed to climb upward to them.

فعدا قافزاً ومدّ بديه

نحوها آملا شجيعا جزوعا

So he ran, leaping, and stretched out his hands

Toward them, hopeful, brave, and fearful.

وانثنى ممسكا بنجمين مسرو

راً بما ناله شكورا قنوعا

And he turned back, holding two stars, delighted

With what he had gained, grateful and content.

ومضى نازلا وقد مضّه السير

طويلا وفتّ منه الضلوعا

And he went down; the journey had tormented him

For a long while and crushed his ribs.

ثم حطّ النجمين والثلج والور

دة وامتدّ واستطلب الهجوعا

Then he set down the two stars, the snow, and the rose,

And stretched out, seeking sleep.

وابتغي اللّه وهو ذو الفضل أن ين

ظر مخلوقه المطيع الوديعا

And God, who possesses grace, wished to see

His obedient, gentle creature

بالغا منتهى السعادة كي ينس

يه فردوسه وتلك الربوعا

At the height of happiness, to make him forget

His own paradise and those abodes.

فرأى أن يصوغ هيئة لطف

تجمع الظرف والجمال الرفيعا

So He resolved to fashion a graceful form

Uniting charm and lofty beauty,

فإذا ما استفاق مخلوقه أب

صر فيها الذي جناه جميعا

So that when His creature awoke, he would see

In her all that he had gathered.

فقضى باجتماع ذلك طرا

فمن الثلج صاغ جسما بديعا

So He decreed the union of all those things:

From the snow He fashioned a wondrous body,

ومن الكوكبين عينين قد أو

دعنا السحر والهوى والولوعا

And from the two stars, two eyes—He endowed us

With enchantment, love, and ardor.

ومن الوردة الأنيقة خدّ

قد أتمّ الخلاق فيه الصنيعا

And from the elegant rose, a cheek,

In which the Creator perfected His handiwork.

فبدت آية بجوهر حسن

رصعتها يمينه ترصيعا

Then she appeared a marvel, with beauty’s jewels

Richly inlaid upon her by His right hand.

تلك حواء فتنة الكون أضحى

قلب هذا الفتى اليها نزوعا

That was Eve, the enchantment of the universe; now

This young man’s heart yearned toward her.