ضاقgrew tight صدريmy breast لماat what أتىcame
ضاق صدري لما أتى
لوجوديto my existence بهwith it القضاfate
لوجودي به القضا
My breast grew tight when there came
My breast grew tight at what was brought
upon my being, through him, fate’s decree.
To my existence by fate.
ضقتُI grew constrained ذرعاًin endurance بموجوديby my being
ضقتُ ذرعاً بموجودي
بعدafter ماthat كنتI was فيin فضاopen space
بعد ما كنت في فضا
I could no longer bear my Originator,
I could no longer bear my being,
after I had known such spacious ease.
After I had been in open space.
ضرريmy harm لمnot يكنwas سوىother than
ضرري لم يكن سوى
عفوهhis pardon حينwhen غمضاhe closed his eyes
عفوه حين غمضا
My only anguish was
My hurt was nothing but
his pardon when he chose to overlook.
His pardon when he closed his eyes.
ضرّنيharmed me ماwhat بهwith it أتىhe came
ضرّني ما به أتى
منof حديثٍspeech وأمرضاand made me ill
من حديثٍ وأمرضا
What he came with harmed me—
What he brought harmed me—
words—and made me ill.
Words that also made me ill.
ضررٌharm قولهhis saying عفاhe pardoned
ضررٌ قوله عفا
رحمةًas mercy بيto me عماfor what مضىhad passed
رحمةً بي عما مضى
My anguish was his saying he had forgiven,
His word of pardon was a hurt,
out of mercy for me, all that was past.
As mercy to me for what had passed.
ضمنيhe embraced me ضمةًan embrace فماso not
ضمني ضمةً فما
قلتُI said هذاthis إلاbut مضىhe departed
قلتُ هذا إلا مضى
He clasped me in a single embrace; no sooner had
He drew me into an embrace; no sooner
I said, “This—” than he was gone.
Had I said 'This' than he was gone.
ضدَّthe opposite of ذاthis لوif رأيتهI had seen it
ضدَّ ذا لو رأيته
كنتI would have been فيin الحالِthe moment مُعرضاturning away
كنت في الحالِ مُعرضا
This one’s opposite—had you seen him—
Had I seen the opposite of this,
you would at once have turned away:
I would have turned away at once.
ضاربٌone knocking البابِthe door جاهلignorant
ضاربٌ البابِ جاهل
يطلبُhe seeks العفوَpardon والرضىand approval
يطلبُ العفوَ والرضى
a fool pounding at the door,
The one knocking at the door is ignorant,
seeking pardon and favor.
Seeking pardon and approval.
ضربَhe struck النحلَthe bees مُخبراًreporting
ضربَ النحلَ مُخبراً
عنهabout him فيناamong us بماthrough what قضىhe decreed
عنه فينا بما قضى
He struck the bees, reporting
He struck the bees, reporting
about him among us concerning what he had decreed.
About him among us through what he decreed.
ضربَpitched العلمُknowledge خيمتَهits tent
ضربَ العلمُ خيمتَه
ساعةًan hour ثمthen قوّضاtook it down
ساعةً ثم قوّضا
The illustrious man pitched his tent
Knowledge pitched its tent
for an hour, then dismantled it.
For an hour, then took it down.
