مِن صفة الجَوْهِرِ أَنْ يَرْسُبَا

مِن صفة الجَوْهِرِ أَنْ يَرْسُبَا

فَما الذِي أَوْجَبَ أَن تَعْجَبَا

فَما الذِي أَوْجَبَ أَن تَعْجَبَا

It is a jewel's nature to sink;

The essence bears tranquility

so what has made you marvel?

So what caused you to marvel?

إنَّ الرَّدَى غَاصَ علَى دُرَّةٍ

إنَّ الرَّدَى غَاصَ علَى دُرَّةٍ

عَزَّتْ علَى غَيْرِ الرَّدَى مَطْلَبا

عَزَّتْ علَى غَيْرِ الرَّدَى مَطْلَبا

Indeed, Death dived for a pearl

Ruin plunged for a pearl

that was hard for anyone but Death to obtain.

Missing the pearl was hard on all but ruin

وَغَال بَحْرُ النِيّلِ أَجْزَى نَداً

وَغَال بَحْرُ النِيّلِ أَجْزَى نَداً

مِنهُ وَقُلْ أَجْدَى وَقُلْ أَعْذَبَا

مِنهُ وَقُلْ أَجْدَى وَقُلْ أَعْذَبَا

And the Nile's sea slew one more generous in bounty

The Nile rose high, more pleasing

than itself—say more beneficent, and say sweeter.

And fresher than its waters

وَيَكْمُدُ الأَنْدادُ كَمْ بَينَهُمْ

وَيَكْمُدُ الأَنْدادُ كَمْ بَينَهُمْ

تَحاسُدٌ أَوْجَبَ مَا أَوْجَبَا

تَحاسُدٌ أَوْجَبَ مَا أَوْجَبَا

And rivals grieve—how rife among them

Rivals smolder, however much hatred

is mutual envy, which has wrought what it has wrought!

Or envy stoked between them

أَينَ وَفَاءُ النِيلِ أَمْ لَيْسَ ذا

أَينَ وَفَاءُ النِيلِ أَمْ لَيْسَ ذا

زَمانَهُ شَاء الفَتَى أَو أَبى

زَمانَهُ شَاء الفَتَى أَو أَبى

Where is the Nile's faithfulness? Or is this not

Where is the Nile’s loyalty? Or was its time

its season, whether the young man wills it or refuses?

Not for the youth to desire or refuse?

وَقَدْ أراهُ لاطِماً وَجْهَهُ

وَقَدْ أراهُ لاطِماً وَجْهَهُ

لِلغَدْرِ ما أَقْبَحهُ مَرْكَبَا

لِلغَدْرِ ما أَقْبَحهُ مَرْكَبَا

And indeed I see it slapping its face

I saw it striking its face

for its treachery—how hideous a mount it is!

At betrayal - how ugly its vessel!

هَلْ نَافَسَ الرَّجَّافَ في دُرَّةٍ

هَلْ نَافَسَ الرَّجَّافَ في دُرَّةٍ

فَكانَ ما أَخْرَجَهُ أَغْرَبَا

فَكانَ ما أَخْرَجَهُ أَغْرَبَا

Did it vie with the surging sea for a pearl,

Did it vie with unrest for a pearl?

so that what it brought forth was more wondrous?

What it brought out was so strange.

بَدا علَى صَفحتهِ أَوَّلاً

بَدا علَى صَفحتهِ أَوَّلاً

كالسَّيْفِ أَبْدَى رَوْنَقاً مُذْهَبَا

كالسَّيْفِ أَبْدَى رَوْنَقاً مُذْهَبَا

He first appeared upon its surface,

At first it showed on its surface

like a sword, displaying a gilded sheen,

Like a gilded sword, gleaming.

حَتَّى إذا ما غَاصَ قالَ الَورَى

حَتَّى إذا ما غَاصَ قالَ الَورَى

مَجَرَّةٌ قَدْ غيَّبَتْ كَوْكَبَا

مَجَرَّةٌ قَدْ غيَّبَتْ كَوْكَبَا

until, when he sank, the people said:

Until when it sank, people said:

A Milky Way has hidden a star.

A planet hid a star.