فيin الماءwater سرa secret عظيمgreat لاnot يحسّis aware بهof it
في الماء سر عظيم لا يحسّ به
إلاexcept الحكيمthe wise one العليمthe learned الماهرthe skilled الفطنُthe discerning
إلا الحكيم العليم الماهر الفطنُ
In water lies a great secret, perceived by none
Water holds a great secret that only
except the wise, learned, skilled, discerning one.
The wise, knowledgeable, skilled and astute can feel
فتارةso at times فيin تجاويفhollows العروقthe veins دمblood
فتارة في تجاويف العروق دم
وتارةand at times فيin الثداياthe breasts ناصعاًpure white لبنُmilk
وتارة في الثدايا ناصعاً لبنُ
So at times, in the hollows of the veins, it is blood;
At times it is blood flowing through veins
and at times, in the breasts, pure white milk.
At others, milk glistening in breasts
وهوand it الذيthat which صارbecame فيin الزيتونthe olive يانعهits ripe fruit
وهو الذي صار في الزيتون يانعه
زيتاًoil وفيand in الكرمthe vine خمراwine فيهin it يختزنis stored
زيتاً وفي الكرم خمرا فيه يختزن
And it is what became, in the olive's ripe fruit,
It is water that became fine oil in olives
oil, and in the vine, wine stored within it.
And wine stored in vines
وهوand it الذيthat which جذبdrew التربthe earth الغليظcoarse إلىto
وهو الذي جذب الترب الغليظ إلى
أعلىthe top النباتthe plant وفيهand in it أثمرbore fruit الغصنthe branch
أعلى النبات وفيه أثمر الغصن
And it is what drew the coarse earth to
It is water that drew coarse soil
the top of the plant, and in it the branch bore fruit.
To the tops of plants, where it fruited branches
فيهin it الحياةlife لماfor whatever فيهin it الحياةlife منamong الthe
فيه الحياة لما فيه الحياة من ال
أشياءthings وهوand it حقيرlowly ماnot لهit has ثمنُa price
أشياء وهو حقير ما له ثمنُ
In it lies life for whatever has life among the
In it is the life that gives life to all things
things; yet it is lowly, with no price.
Yet it is humble, priceless
رباطهits bond ببخارwith vapor الأرضthe earth منعقدtied
رباطه ببخار الأرض منعقد
وبعضand part جوهرهits substance بالبعضto the rest مرتهنُheld in pledge
وبعض جوهره بالبعض مرتهنُ
Its bond with the earth's vapor is tied,
Its ties are bound to the earth’s vapors
and part of its substance is held in pledge to the rest.
And part of its essence pledged to another part
بسيطهits simple form غيرnot ذيhaving لونcolor ولاnor ثخنthickness
بسيطه غير ذي لون ولا ثخن
وفيand in تراكيبهits compounds التلوينcoloration والثخنُand thickness
وفي تراكيبه التلوين والثخنُ
Its simple form has neither color nor thickness,
Simple, without color or density
and in its compounds are coloration and thickness.
Yet in its compositions are all tints and textures
قسطاسهits balance مستقيمstraight غيرnot ذيhaving سبلpaths
قسطاسه مستقيم غير ذي سبل
والقدرand the measure معتدلproportionate والوزنand the weight متزنُbalanced
والقدر معتدل والوزن متزنُ
Its balance is straight, without diverging paths,
Its measure is straight, without meander
and the measure is proportionate, and the weight balanced.
Its decree even, its weight in balance