وَشَعبٍand a ravine كَشَلِّlike the seam of الثَوبِthe garment شَكسٍrugged طَريقُهُits path
وَشَعبٍ كَشَلِّ الثَوبِ شَكسٍ طَريقُهُ
مَجامِعُmeeting places of صوحَيهِits two rocky sides نِطافٌsmall pools مَخاصِرُnarrow
مَجامِعُ صوحَيهِ نِطافٌ مَخاصِرُ
And a ravine like a garment's seam, its path rugged,
A land whose road is twisted like torn cloth,
Where its two rocky sides meet lie narrow pools.
Its valley joints are covered with fine sand.
تَعَسَّفتُهُI forced my way through it بِاللَيلِby night لَمdid not يَهدِنيguide me لَهُto it
تَعَسَّفتُهُ بِاللَيلِ لَم يَهدِني لَهُ
دَليلٌa guide وَلَمand did not يُحسِنrender well لِيَfor me النَعتَthe description خابِرُa knowledgeable person
دَليلٌ وَلَم يُحسِن لِيَ النَعتَ خابِرُ
I forced my way through it by night; I was not led there
I tried to find it at night but no guide led me there,
By a guide, nor had anyone who knew it described it well to me.
No informer was good at describing it.
لَدُنfrom the time of مَطلَعِthe rising of الشِعرىSirius قَليلٍscant أَنيسُهُits company
لَدُن مَطلَعِ الشِعرى قَليلٍ أَنيسُهُ
كَأَنَّas though الطَخاthe clouds فيalong جانِبَيهِits two sides مَعاجِرُhead-veils
كَأَنَّ الطَخا في جانِبَيهِ مَعاجِرُ
From the rising of Sirius, with scant company in it,
Near the rise of Sirius it has some comfort,
As though the clouds along its two sides were head-veils.
As if its mountainsides have built nests.
بِهِin it مِنfrom نَجاءِdownpour of الدَلوِthe Bucket بيضٌwhite stones أَقَرَّهاlodged them
بِهِ مِن نَجاءِ الدَلوِ بيضٌ أَقَرَّها
جُبارٌa mighty torrent لِصُمِّagainst the solid الصَخرِrock فيهِin it قَراقِرُrumblings
جُبارٌ لِصُمِّ الصَخرِ فيهِ قَراقِرُ
Within it are white stones from the Bucket's downpour, lodged by
In it are white water skins hardened
A mighty torrent, rumbling there against solid rock.
By a giant for the deaf rock therein are pegs.
وَمَرِّرنَand they were smoothed حَتّىuntil كُنَّthey became لِلماءِfor the water مُنتَهاًa resting place
وَمَرِّرنَ حَتّى كُنَّ لِلماءِ مُنتَهاً
وَغادَرَهُنَّand it left them behind السَيلُthe torrent فيماamong what يُغادِرُit leaves behind
وَغادَرَهُنَّ السَيلُ فيما يُغادِرُ
And they were worn smooth until they became a resting place for water,
And we passed till the water was ended
And the torrent left them among the things it leaves behind.
And the torrent had left what it would leave.
بِهِin it نُطَفٌsmall pools زُرقٌblue قَليلٌlittle تُرابُهاtheir silt
بِهِ نُطَفٌ زُرقٌ قَليلٌ تُرابُها
جَلاreceded الماءُthe water عَنfrom أَرجائِهاtheir edges فَهوَso it is حائِرُhemmed in
جَلا الماءُ عَن أَرجائِها فَهوَ حائِرُ
Within it are blue pools, with little silt in them;
In it are blue pools, little dirt,
The water has receded from their edges and now lies hemmed in.
The water had uncovered its sides, so it wanders astray.
بِهِin it سَمَلاتٌshallow remnants مِنof مِياهٍwaters قَديمَةٍold
بِهِ سَمَلاتٌ مِن مِياهٍ قَديمَةٍ
مَوارِدُهاtheir inlets ماnot إِنat all (emphasis) لَهُنَّfor them مَصادِرُoutlets
مَوارِدُها ما إِن لَهُنَّ مَصادِرُ
Within it are shallow remnants of old water,
In it are paths from ancient waters
Their inlets having no outlets at all.
With sources they no longer have springs.
Sol 6.1