للهto God! (expressing admiration) ترخيمmarblework بجامعin the congregational mosque of جلّقٍJilliq
لله ترخيم بجامع جلّقٍ
متجانسharmonious الترصيعthe inlay والتعظيمand the grandeur
متجانس الترصيع والتعظيم
How splendid the marble trim in Damascus’s Great Mosque,
How splendid the marblework in Jilliq’s congregational mosque,
Its inlay and grandeur in perfect harmony.
Harmonious in its inlay and grandeur!
نظّمتyou arranged ياO كهفcave; refuge العفاةthe supplicants عقودهits arches
نظّمت يا كهف العفاة عقوده
فغداso it became المكانthe place بهthrough it كمثلin the likeness of رقيمan inscribed tablet
فغدا المكان به كمثل رقيم
You strung its arches, O refuge of seekers of bounty,
You arranged its arches, O cave of refuge for supplicants,
And through it the place became the very likeness of al-Raqīm.
And through it the place became like an inscribed tablet.
وازدادand it increased تحسيناًin beauty يخالفcontradicting قولthe words of منone who
وازداد تحسيناً يخالف قول من
قدalready (marking completion) قالsaid إنthat النقصdiminution فيin الترخيمmarbling; also name-truncation (a pun)
قد قال إن النقص في الترخيم
It grew still lovelier, refuting the words of one
And it grew in beauty, contradicting the words of one
Who said that trimming entails diminution.
Who had said that tarkhīm—marbling, or truncation—involves diminution.
