بَعدَ هذَا الحَدِيثِ سارَ الإِلاهَانِ

بَعدَ هذَا الحَدِيثِ سارَ الإِلاهَانِ

فَثيتيسُ لِلعُبَابِ العَسُوفِ

فَثيتيسُ لِلعُبَابِ العَسُوفِ

After this conversation, the two gods departed:

After this conversation, the two gods walked on

Thetis into the raging surge

As Thyestes went to the wanton revelry

من أَعالِي الأُولمبِ غَاصت وزَفسٌ

من أَعالِي الأُولمبِ غَاصت وزَفسٌ

عادَ للصَّرحِ في المَقَامِ المُنيفِ

عادَ للصَّرحِ في المَقَامِ المُنيفِ

plunged from Olympus’s heights, while Zeus

From the heights of Olympus, Zeus slipped away

returned to the palace in the lofty abode.

Returning to his magnificent, familiar abode

نَهَضَت أربابُ العُلى لأَبيها

نَهَضَت أربابُ العُلى لأَبيها

حُرمةً واختِشاءَ هَولٍ مُخِيفِ

حُرمةً واختِشاءَ هَولٍ مُخِيفِ

The gods on high rose for their father,

The lords of the heights rose for their father

in reverence and dread of fearsome terror.

In reverence and awe of his fearful might

حلَّ في عَرشِهِ وَهِيرَةُ بالمِر

حلَّ في عَرشِهِ وَهِيرَةُ بالمِر

صادِ كانت ما بينَ تلكَ الصُّفُوفِ

صادِ كانت ما بينَ تلكَ الصُّفُوفِ

He settled on his throne, and Hera lay in

He sat on his throne as Hermes with the staff

wait among those ranks.

Stood between those ranks

أَبصَرَتهُ يَلقى ابنةَ الشَّيخِ نِيرَا

أَبصَرَتهُ يَلقى ابنةَ الشَّيخِ نِيرَا

ذَاتَ رِجلِ اللُّجَينِ بالمَعرُوفِ

ذَاتَ رِجلِ اللُّجَينِ بالمَعرُوفِ

She saw him welcoming the old man Nereus’s daughter,

He saw him meet the daughter of the elder

the silver-footed one, with kindness.

The one with famous ankles in amorous delight

فَعَلَيهِ مالَت سَرِيعاً بِعَزمٍ

فَعَلَيهِ مالَت سَرِيعاً بِعَزمٍ

وتَلَقَّتهُ بِالكلاَمِ العَنيفِ

وتَلَقَّتهُ بِالكلاَمِ العَنيفِ

So she turned toward him swiftly, with resolve,

So she leaned towards him quickly with resolve

and greeted him with harsh words:

And addressed him with harsh words

مَن تُرى أَيُّهضا الإِلاهُ المُدَاجي

مَن تُرى أَيُّهضا الإِلاهُ المُدَاجي

قُمتَ تُدنِي إِلَيكَ طَيِّ السُّجُوفِ

قُمتَ تُدنِي إِلَيكَ طَيِّ السُّجُوفِ

“Who, I wonder, O dissembling god,

Who do you think you are, you brazen god

have you drawn to yourself behind the curtains’ folds?

You approached your supple darling

قَد كَرِهتُ استِيدَاعَ سِرِّك عندِي

قَد كَرِهتُ استِيدَاعَ سِرِّك عندِي

إِن أَغِب رُمتَ سِرَّ أَلِيفِ

إِن أَغِب رُمتَ سِرَّ أَلِيفِ

I have come to dislike your secret being entrusted to me;

I hated that you confided your secret with me

if I am absent, you seek an intimate’s confidence.”

If I became absent, you sought my dear intimate

قالَ رَبُّ الأَربابِ والناسِ طُراًّ

قالَ رَبُّ الأَربابِ والناسِ طُراًّ

لا تُرَجِّي استِطلاعَ كُلِّ صُرُوفي

لا تُرَجِّي استِطلاعَ كُلِّ صُرُوفي

The lord of the gods and all humankind said:

The lord of lords and people, gently said

“Do not hope to discover all my dealings.

Do not expect to uncover all my ways

لا تُطِيقينَ لا وإِن كُنتِ زَوجي

لا تُطِيقينَ لا وإِن كُنتِ زَوجي

غَيرَ عِرفانِ حَقِّكِ المألُوفِ

غَيرَ عِرفانِ حَقِّكِ المألُوفِ

You cannot—no, even though you are my wife—

You cannot bear it, even if you are my wife

know more than your customary due.

Except knowing your familiar right

ذاك لا خالدٌ ولا بَشَرٌ قَب

ذاك لا خالدٌ ولا بَشَرٌ قَب

لَكِ يَروِي لهُ أَقَلَّ الحُرُوفِ

لَكِ يَروِي لهُ أَقَلَّ الحُرُوفِ

Of that, no immortal or mortal will, before

That is not eternal, nor a mortal before

you, be told even the least letter.

Who quenches his thirst with the least of letters

وَحَذارِ السؤَالَ عَمَّا اَرى أَن

وَحَذارِ السؤَالَ عَمَّا اَرى أَن

أَتَبَقَّى بِعِلمِيَ المَوقُوفِ

أَتَبَقَّى بِعِلمِيَ المَوقُوفِ

And beware of asking about what I deem fit

And beware of asking what I deem

to keep as knowledge reserved to myself.”

To keep within my suspended knowledge