لنَواعِيرِهَاfor its waterwheels علىupon الماءthe water ألحاmelodies (first fragment)
لنَواعِيرِهَا على الماء ألحا
نٌmelodies (final fragment) تَهيجُstir الشَّجاsorrow لقلْبfor the heart of المَشُوقِthe yearning one
نٌ تَهيجُ الشَّجا لقلْب المَشُوقِ
Upon the water, its waterwheels have melodies
Its waterwheels upon the water have melodies
that stir sorrow in the yearning heart.
that stir sorrow in the yearning heart.
فَهْيَfor they مِثْلlike الأفلاكِthe celestial spheres شَكْلاًin shape وفِعْلاًand in action
فَهْيَ مِثْل الأفلاكِ شَكْلاً وفِعْلاً
قُسِمَتْwere apportioned قَسْمَthe apportionment of جاهلٍone ignorant بالحُقُوقِof rights
قُسِمَتْ قَسْمَ جاهلٍ بالحُقُوقِ
They are like the celestial spheres in shape and action,
For they resemble the celestial spheres in shape and action,
allotted as one ignorant of rightful shares would allot:
apportioned as by one ignorant of rights,
بينbetween عالٍone high in station سامٍexalted ينكّسُهُcasts him down الحظfortune (first fragment)
بين عالٍ سامٍ ينكّسُهُ الحظ
ظُfortune (final fragment) ويعلوand rises بسَافِلٍwith a lowly one مرزوقِfortunate
ظُ ويعلو بسَافِلٍ مرزوقِ
between a high, lofty one whom fortune casts down,
between an exalted, noble one whom fortune casts down
and a lowly, favored one whom it raises high.
and a lowly yet fortunate one whom it raises up.
