ماwhat is سُلَيْمَىSulayma ماwhat is هندُHind ماwhat is أسْماءُAsma
ما سُلَيْمَى ما هندُ ما أسْماءُ
أنتَyou مَعنىًmeaning وكلُّهاand all of them أسْماءُnames
أنتَ مَعنىً وكلُّها أسْماءُ
What is Sulayma? What is Hind? What is Asma?
Neither Sulayma nor Hind nor Asma'
You are the meaning; all of them are names.
You are the essence, while all else are names
وهْوand he حِزْبِيmy litany ووِرْدُand the daily invocation of كُلِّevery لسانٍtongue
وهْو حِزْبِي ووِرْدُ كُلِّ لسانٍ
ولَكمand how often أخْصَبَتْgrew fertile بهthrough him الشَّهْباءُal-Shahba, the grey land
ولَكم أخْصَبَتْ به الشَّهْباءُ
He is my litany and the daily invocation of every tongue;
You are my party and the daily litany of every tongue
and how often al-Shahba—the grey land—grew fertile through him!
Many glories have flourished through you
ذاكthat حِزْبُthe litany of البحرthe sea الذيwhich لاnot يُلاقِيencounters
ذاك حِزْبُ البحر الذي لا يُلاقِي
منwhoever يُدِمْkeeps up ذِكْرَهits recitation عَناًhardship وبَلاءُand affliction
من يُدِمْ ذِكْرَه عَناً وبَلاءُ
That is the Litany of the Sea: no one who
That is the party of the sea that finds no shore
persists in its recitation encounters hardship or affliction.
Whose remembrance brings misery and ordeal
وجَدُوهthey found him دُرّاًa pearl يَتِيماًorphaned تَرَبَّىreared
وجَدُوه دُرّاً يَتِيماً تَرَبَّى
لمnot يُدْنِّسْهُtaint him عُنْصُرٌan element وهَبَاءُand fine dust
لم يُدْنِّسْهُ عُنْصُرٌ وهَبَاءُ
They found him an orphan pearl, reared
They found him a precious orphan who was raised
untarnished by any element or dust.
Whom no element or dust had defiled
ذاكthat كَيْلاso as not to يكونَbe مَنٌّa claim of favor عَلَيْهِupon him
ذاك كَيْلا يكونَ مَنٌّ عَلَيْهِ
لأُصولٍfrom forebears لهof his إليْهاto whom اعْتِزاءُtraced descent
لأُصولٍ له إليْها اعْتِزاءُ
That was so no claim of favor should rest upon him
That was so no one would confer favor upon him
from forebears of his to whom he traced descent.
For he had roots to feel proud of
خُلُقٌa nature للصَّبَاto the east wind شَقِيقٌa twin فمِنْهاso from it
خُلُقٌ للصَّبَا شَقِيقٌ فمِنْها
نَصْرُهhis victory والعِدَىand the foes لَهاfor them النَّكْباءُthe crosswind
نَصْرُه والعِدَى لَها النَّكْباءُ
His nature is the east wind's twin, and from it
A nature made for youth, a sympathetic peer
comes his victory; his enemies have the crosswind.
His aid comes from it while hostility brings perdition
مُذْsince أظَلَّovershadowed الزَّمانَtime منهfrom him وُجودٌexistence
مُذْ أظَلَّ الزَّمانَ منه وُجودٌ
حسَدتْهenvied him الأزْمانُthe ages والآناءُand the moments
حسَدتْه الأزْمانُ والآناءُ
Since his existence cast its shade over time,
Since time was shaded by his existence
the ages and moments have envied him.
Eras envied him, as did glimpses of time
وعليهand over him إذاwhen غارَgrew jealous منof عينِthe eye of شَمْسٍthe sun
وعليه إذا غارَ من عينِ شَمْسٍ
ظَلَّلتْهshaded him سَحابةٌa cloud وَطْفاءُdense
ظَلَّلتْه سَحابةٌ وَطْفاءُ
And when jealousy stirred over him at the sun's eye,
When the eye of the sun is jealous of him
a dense cloud shaded him.
A cloud shades and covers him
وبهand through him زَهْرةُthe bloom of الحياةِlife رَبِيعٌspring
وبه زَهْرةُ الحياةِ رَبِيعٌ
مُذsince أظلَّتshaded مَوْلُودَهhis newborn form الخَضْراءُthe green sky
مُذ أظلَّت مَوْلُودَه الخَضْراءُ
Through him the bloom of life is spring,
Through him, the flower of life is a spring
ever since the green sky shaded his newborn form.
Since its birthplace turned green
وغدَتْand became أرضُهhis earth سماءًa heaven بفَخْرٍin glory
وغدَتْ أرضُه سماءً بفَخْرٍ
فهْيso it is خَضْراءُgreen ثُمَّthen لاnot غَبْراءُdust-grey
فهْي خَضْراءُ ثُمَّ لا غَبْراءُ
His earth became a heaven in glory,
His land became a heaven proudly
so it is green, and no longer dust-grey.
So it remains green, never dusty
ولهand for him الأرضُthe earth مَسْجِدٌa place of prayer فجميعُso all
وله الأرضُ مَسْجِدٌ فجميعُ
مَنwho عليهاupon it لهfor him بهin him الاقْتِداءُfollowing the example
مَن عليها له به الاقْتِداءُ
For him, the earth is a place of prayer, and all
The earth is a mosque for him, so all
who dwell upon it have in him an example to follow.
Upon it follow his example
وسُطورُand the lines of الصلاةِprayer حُجَّةِa charter of دِينٍfaith
وسُطورُ الصلاةِ حُجَّةِ دِينٍ
وبخَتْمِand by the seal of النُّبُوَّةِprophethood الإمْضاءُratification
وبخَتْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ الإمْضاءُ
The lines of prayer are a charter of faith,
The lines of prayer prove the religion
and its ratification is by the seal of prophethood.
And the seal of prophecy authorizes
وبهand through him شُرَّفَتْwas ennobled فكانتso it became طَهُوراًpurifying
وبه شُرَّفَتْ فكانت طَهُوراً
وتساوَىand became equal البُلْدانُthe towns والصَّحْراءُand the desert
وتساوَى البُلْدانُ والصَّحْراءُ
Through him it was ennobled and made purifying,
Through him it was ennobled and so became pure
and towns and desert became alike.
Lands and deserts were made equal
ولهand for him الضَّبُّthe lizard ناطِقٌspeaking باعْترافٍin acknowledgment
وله الضَّبُّ ناطِقٌ باعْترافٍ
ومنand through السَّعْدِgood fortune تنْطِقُspeaks العَجْماءُthe speechless beast
ومن السَّعْدِ تنْطِقُ العَجْماءُ
For him, the lizard speaks in acknowledgment,
The wolf attests, compelled to confess
and through blessed fortune the speechless beast speaks.
And the dumb are made to speak in joy
معdespite ذَأthis سَفَّهmade fools of النِّفاقُhypocrisy أُناساًsome people
مع ذَأ سَفَّه النِّفاقُ أُناساً
ماnot لِضَبٍfor a lizard منfrom حِقْدِهمtheir rancor نافِقاءُan escape-hole
ما لِضَبٍ من حِقْدِهم نافِقاءُ
Even so, hypocrisy made fools of some people;
Despite the ignorance the hypocrites' hatred spread
no lizard has an escape-hole from their rancor.
No spite from them can touch the wolf
ليسthere are not فيهمamong them سِوَىexcept أَعِنَّةِthe reins of خَيْلٍhorses
ليس فيهم سِوَى أَعِنَّةِ خَيْلٍ
وقَنَاand the spears of الخَطِّal-Khatt فيin الوغَىbattle سُفَهاءُreckless ones
وقَنَا الخَطِّ في الوغَى سُفَهاءُ
Among them, none but horses' reins
In them is nothing but the blindness of horses
and al-Khatt's spears are reckless in battle.
And the crookedness of tracks amidst chaos
ومِراضُand the diseased of القلوبhearts قدindeed قَصَدْتهمtargeted them
ومِراضُ القلوب قد قَصَدْتهم
سُمْرُهُhis brown spears حينwhen حَمَّتِgrew fierce الهَيْجاءُbattle
سُمْرُهُ حين حَمَّتِ الهَيْجاءُ
And those with diseased hearts were targeted
The sickness of hearts singled them out
by his brown spears when battle raged.
When its heat flared up during the raid
ماnot سَقاهمgave them to drink إلاّexcept كُئوسَcups of المَنايَاdeath
ما سَقاهم إلاّ كُئوسَ المَنايَا
ربَّmany an داءٍailment لهfor it المماتُdeath دَواءُa cure
ربَّ داءٍ له المماتُ دَواءُ
He gave them nothing to drink but cups of death;
It did not water them except from cups of death
many an ailment has death for its cure.
How often does death cure an illness?
همthey ثِفالٌa mill-mat إذاwhen رَحَىthe millstone of الحربwar دارتْturned
هم ثِفالٌ إذا رَحَى الحرب دارتْ
وبنادِيهمُand in their assembly همُthey الأرْجاءُthe outer edges
وبنادِيهمُ همُ الأرْجاءُ
They are the mill-mat when war's mill turns,
They are chaff spinning when war's mill turns
and in their assembly they are its outer edges.
Their cries are all space echoes
تُغْمَدُare sheathed البِيضُthe white blades فيin طُلاهمْtheir necks بفَتْكٍwith deadly force
تُغْمَدُ البِيضُ في طُلاهمْ بفَتْكٍ
مُضَرٌMudar لُقِّبَتْwas nicknamed بهfor it الْحَمراءُthe Red
مُضَرٌ لُقِّبَتْ به الْحَمراءُ
White blades are sheathed in their necks with deadly force;
The whites of swords flash fatally at their throats
for this, Mudar was named 'the Red'.
A harmful epithet stuck to the reds
قدindeed مَحاهمُerased them وطهَّرand cleansed الأرْضَthe earth منهاof it
قد مَحاهمُ وطهَّر الأرْضَ منها
ومعand with السَّيْلِthe torrent لاnot يَقَرُّremains الغُثاءُthe flotsam
ومع السَّيْلِ لا يَقَرُّ الغُثاءُ
He effaced them and cleansed the earth of them;
It erased them and cleansed the earth of them
and with the torrent, the flotsam cannot remain.
The riffraff cannot settle with the floods
وبُطونُand the bellies of الطَّيرِbirds أمْسَتْbecame قُبوراًgraves
وبُطونُ الطَّيرِ أمْسَتْ قُبوراً
لِلْعدىfor the foes إذwhen تُمزَّقare torn apart الأشْلاءُthe limbs
لِلْعدى إذ تُمزَّق الأشْلاءُ
The bellies of birds became graves
The bellies of birds became graves
for the foes, as their limbs are torn apart.
For the transgressors when corpses are torn
ماnot سمِعْناwe have heard بالقبْرِof a grave سارjourneyed اشْتياقاًin longing
ما سمِعْنا بالقبْرِ سار اشْتياقاً
لِيُوارِيto conceal سَوْآتِthe nakedness of مَنthose who قدalready أسَاءُواdid wrong
لِيُوارِي سَوْآتِ مَن قد أسَاءُوا
We have never heard of a grave journeying in longing
We never heard of a grave eagerly heading
to hide the nakedness of those who did wrong.
To cover the nakedness of those who did evil
رُبَّmany a منone who كانwas زِئْبَقاًquicksilver فَرَّاراًever-fleeing
رُبَّ من كان زِئْبَقاً فَرَّاراً
صارbecame عَبْداًa slave لِرِقِّهfor his bondage اسْتعساءُdefiance
صار عَبْداً لِرِقِّه اسْتعساءُ
Many a man once quicksilver, forever fleeing,
How often a fleeting, fleeing quicksilver
became a slave, his defiance bringing him bondage.
Became a submissive servant in chains
لمnot يَقِلْtake a midday rest والظِّلالُwhile the shadows صارتْbecame مِهاداًa bed
لم يَقِلْ والظِّلالُ صارتْ مِهاداً
فَوْقَهabove him الآلُthe mirage بُرْدَةٌa mantle سِيَراءُsilk-striped
فَوْقَه الآلُ بُرْدَةٌ سِيَراءُ
He took no midday rest, though the shadows became a bed,
It did not say, as the shadows became a bed
the mirage above him a silk-striped mantle.
Above it, the Family was a thick cloak
هوhe نُورٌlight فماso no لَهof his قَطُّever ظِلٌّa shadow
هو نُورٌ فما لَه قَطُّ ظِلٌّ
لاَحَappeared لولاwere it not for بُرودُهhis mantles والرِّداءُand the cloak
لاَحَ لولا بُرودُه والرِّداءُ
He is light; no shadow of his would ever
He is light, so he never has a shadow
appear, were it not for his mantles and cloak.
His light and cloak appeared without it
إنif نَفَىbanishes ظُلْمةًdarkness عَياءُthe baffling nature of جَمالٍbeauty
إن نَفَى ظُلْمةً عَياءُ جَمالٍ
فبِظِلٍso in a shadow لهof his يَعِزُّis difficult البقاءُremaining
فبِظِلٍ له يَعِزُّ البقاءُ
If beauty's baffling nature banishes darkness,
If the bleary darkness of a beauty vanishes
then abiding in his shadow is difficult.
It is through his shadow that survival is dear
صِينَwas safeguarded عنfrom أنbeing يُجَرَّdragged فيin التُّرْبِthe dust ذَيْلٌa trailing hem
صِينَ عن أن يُجَرَّ في التُّرْبِ ذَيْلٌ
مِنof ظِلالٍshadows لهof his كماas الأفْياءُthe afternoon shades
مِن ظِلالٍ له كما الأفْياءُ
Safeguarded from being dragged through dust was a trailing hem
It disdains to drag its train in the dust
of his shadows, as afternoon shades are dragged.
Like the viper's trailing shadow
فَرَشَspread out الناسُthe people ظِلَّهمtheir shadow واحْتَذَوْهُand wore it as sandals
فَرَشَ الناسُ ظِلَّهم واحْتَذَوْهُ
عندماwhen قامstood للنّهارِfor the day اسْتِواءُthe zenith
عندما قام للنّهارِ اسْتِواءُ
People spread out their shadow and wore it as sandals
People laid down their shade and took his
when the day stood at its zenith.
When it stood for the noon sun
كيفhow يبْدُوappears ظِلٌّa shadow لِشَمْسٍfor a sun تَعالَتْrose high
كيف يبْدُو ظِلٌّ لِشَمْسٍ تَعالَتْ
واسْتوَىand became equal الإسْتواءُstanding at the zenith والإرْتقاءُand ascent
واسْتوَى الإسْتواءُ والإرْتقاءُ
How could a shadow appear for a sun so exalted,
How can a shadow appear for a sun that rose high
when standing at zenith and ascent have become equal?
And reached the zenith and loftiest rise?
أتُراهdo you consider him يُصانُis protected عَنfrom حَرِّthe heat of جَوٍthe air
أتُراه يُصانُ عَن حَرِّ جَوٍ
إذْwhen أظَلَّتْهshaded him سُحْبُهhis clouds والْعَماءُand the cloud-mist
إذْ أظَلَّتْه سُحْبُه والْعَماءُ
Do you think he is protected from the air's heat
Can you see it being sheltered from the heat
when his clouds and the cloud-mist shaded him?
When its clouds and mist shaded it?
أمْor عليهover him تَغارُgrow jealous مِنof عَيْنِthe eye of شَمْسٍthe sun
أمْ عليه تَغارُ مِن عَيْنِ شَمْسٍ
مُدَّwas stretched مِنfrom دونهاthis side of it عليهover him الْغِطاءُthe covering
مُدَّ مِن دونها عليه الْغِطاءُ
Or are they jealous for him of the sun's eye,
Or does the eye of the sun grow jealous over it
a covering stretched over him to screen him from it?
With no veil but its own drawn over it?
لمnot تَرَsee العَيْنُthe eye مِثْلَهhis like فلهذاso for this reason
لم تَرَ العَيْنُ مِثْلَه فلهذا
يَنْمَحِيvanishes ظِلُّهhis shadow إذاwhen الناسُthe people فَاءُواtook to the shade
يَنْمَحِي ظِلُّه إذا الناسُ فَاءُوا
No eye has seen his like; for this reason,
The eye has seen none like it, and so
his shadow vanishes when people take to the shade.
Its shadow fades when people depart
لَبِسَdonned الظِّلُّshadow مِنbecause of نَواهُseparation from him حِداداًmourning clothes
لَبِسَ الظِّلُّ مِن نَواهُ حِداداً
فظِلالُso the shadows of الورَىhumankind لِذَاfor this reason سَوْداءُblack
فظِلالُ الورَى لِذَا سَوْداءُ
Shadow donned mourning for separation from him;
The shadow wore mourning clothes from its lament
so, for this reason, the shadows of humankind are black.
Hence all shadows on earth are black
Sol 6.1