طَويْنَا الحُقُولَ سِرَاعَ الْمَسِيرِ

طَويْنَا الحُقُولَ سِرَاعَ الْمَسِيرِ

عَلَى مَتْنِ مُتَّصلٍ كَالسَّببْ

عَلَى مَتْنِ مُتَّصلٍ كَالسَّببْ

We crossed the fields, swift in our journey,

We sped across the fields, swift in our ride,

On the back of a linked whole, like a cord.

On a steed continuous, like a flowing rope,

نَمُرُّ بِخَضْرَاءَ فَتَّانَةَ

نَمُرُّ بِخَضْرَاءَ فَتَّانَةَ

لَها مِنْ زُمُرُّدِهَا مُنْتَقَبْ

لَها مِنْ زُمُرُّدِهَا مُنْتَقَبْ

We pass through an enchanting green expanse,

We passed a verdant, alluring pasture,

Wearing a veil of its own emerald.

With emeralds peeking through like specks of hope.

إلى مُرْتَمَى العُيْنِ مَبْسُوطَةٌ

إلى مُرْتَمَى العُيْنِ مَبْسُوطَةٌ

تَمُوجُ بِأَشْجَارهَا عَنْ حَبَبْ

تَمُوجُ بِأَشْجَارهَا عَنْ حَبَبْ

Spread out as far as the eye can reach,

Stretching far, to meet the eye's longing,

It billows with its trees in ripples.

It swayed with trees over its darling slopes,

وَأَنْهَارُهَا تَحْتَ نُورِ الزَّوَالِ

وَأَنْهَارُهَا تَحْتَ نُورِ الزَّوَالِ

تَفِيضُ بِطَاءً بِمثْلِ الضَّرَبْ

تَفِيضُ بِطَاءً بِمثْلِ الضَّرَبْ

And its rivers beneath the noonday light

Its rivers flowed under the noon sun's glow,

Flow slowly, like thick white honey.

Spilling plenty, as continuous as heartbeats.

وَلِلشَّمسِ فِي الْمُنْتَهَى مَغْرِبٌ

وَلِلشَّمسِ فِي الْمُنْتَهَى مَغْرِبٌ

رَأَيْنَا بِهِ آيَةً مِنْ عَجَبْ

رَأَيْنَا بِهِ آيَةً مِنْ عَجَبْ

And at the farthest edge lies the sun's setting-place;

In the horizon, the sun had its setting place,

There we saw a wondrous sign.

We saw in it, a sign of awe and grace.

رَأَيْنَا مِنَ الْغَيْمِ طوداً رَسَا

رَأَيْنَا مِنَ الْغَيْمِ طوداً رَسَا

عَلَى أُفْقِهَا وَسَمَا وَاشْرَأَبْ

عَلَى أُفْقِهَا وَسَمَا وَاشْرَأَبْ

We saw a mountain of cloud standing firm

We saw a towering mass of clouds advance,

On its horizon, rising and stretching upward,

Upon its horizon, ascend and prance,

بِجِسْمِ ظَلاَمٍ وَقِمَّة تِبْرٍ

بِجِسْمِ ظَلاَمٍ وَقِمَّة تِبْرٍ

وَسَفْحٍ تَعَارِيجُهُ مِنْ لَهَبْ

وَسَفْحٍ تَعَارِيجُهُ مِنْ لَهَبْ

With a body of darkness and a summit of gold dust,

With a body of thick darkness, and peak of snow,

And a slope whose folds were flame.

And foothills with tongues of flame in tow.

كَأَنَّ الأشِعَّة أَثْنَاءَهُ

كَأَنَّ الأشِعَّة أَثْنَاءَهُ

مَغَاوِرُ في مَنْجَمٍ مِنْ ذَهَبْ

مَغَاوِرُ في مَنْجَمٍ مِنْ ذَهَبْ

As though the rays within it

As if its rays amidst it,

Were caverns in a mine of gold.

Were caverns in a mine of gold.

وَرَاعَ نَوَاظِرَنَا أَيِّلٌ

وَرَاعَ نَوَاظِرَنَا أَيِّلٌ

مَضَى قَرْنُهُ صُعُداً وَانْشَعَبْ

مَضَى قَرْنُهُ صُعُداً وَانْشَعَبْ

And a stag startled our eyes;

A deer caught our gazes,

Its antler rose upward and branched.

Its horns climbed then forked and splayed.

تَلَفَّت يَرْنُو بِيَاقُوتَتَيْنِ

تَلَفَّت يَرْنُو بِيَاقُوتَتَيْنِ

وَسَالَ دَماً صُلْبُهُ وَالذَّنَبْ

وَسَالَ دَماً صُلْبُهُ وَالذَّنَبْ

It turned, gazing with two rubies,

It turned, glanced with two rubies,

And its back and tail ran with blood.

Its flesh and tail bled, as it strayed.

وَكَمْ مِنْ جِنَانٍ وَكَمْ مِنْ قُرَىً

وَكَمْ مِنْ جِنَانٍ وَكَمْ مِنْ قُرَىً

وَكَمْ مِنْ صُرُوحٍ وَكَمْ مِنْ قُبَبْ

وَكَمْ مِنْ صُرُوحٍ وَكَمْ مِنْ قُبَبْ

And how many gardens, and how many villages,

How many gardens, how many towns,

And how many lofty halls, and how many domes—

How many citadels, how many domes,

تَصَاوِيرُ يَصْنَعُهَا مَاهِرٌ

تَصَاوِيرُ يَصْنَعُهَا مَاهِرٌ

مِنَ الْغَيْبِ يُبْدِعُهَا مَا أَحَبْ

مِنَ الْغَيْبِ يُبْدِعُهَا مَا أَحَبْ

Pictures fashioned by a master

Are paintings made by a skilled hand,

From the unseen, who creates them as he pleases.

Created by the Unseen whom it loves.

يَظَلُّ يُنَوِّعُ أَشْكَالَهَا

يَظَلُّ يُنَوِّعُ أَشْكَالَهَا

دِرَاكاً وَلا يَعْتَريهِ نَصَبْ

دِرَاكاً وَلا يَعْتَريهِ نَصَبْ

He keeps varying their shapes

It continues to vary their forms,

In unbroken succession, and no weariness overtakes him.

Grasping yet untouched by any pains.