وَماand not سِحرُmagic هاروتَof Harut بِبابلin Babylon مُحكَماًperfected
وَما سِحرُ هاروتَ بِبابل مُحكَماً
يُؤثّرit affects فيin الأَجسامِbodies بِالجدِّin earnest وَالهَزلِand in jest
يُؤثّر في الأَجسامِ بِالجدِّ وَالهَزلِ
Harut’s magic in Babylon, however perfectly wrought,
Not even Harut’s perfected magic in Babylon,
working upon bodies in earnest and in jest,
which works on bodies in earnest and in jest,
وَيَلعَبُand it toys بِالأَلبابِwith minds حَتّىuntil يخلَّهاit deranges them
وَيَلعَبُ بِالأَلبابِ حَتّى يخلَّها
فَتَخَتلُّso they become disordered حتّىuntil تَخلطَthey confuse العِلمَknowledge بِالجَهلِwith ignorance
فَتَخَتلُّ حتّى تَخلطَ العِلمَ بِالجَهلِ
and playing with minds until it leaves them
and toys with minds until it deranges them,
reeling, until they confuse knowledge with ignorance,
leaving them disordered until they confuse knowledge with ignorance,
بِأَسحرany more bewitching مِنthan إِنسانِthe pupil عَينٍof an eye كَحيلةٍkohl-dark
بِأَسحر مِن إِنسانِ عَينٍ كَحيلةٍ
إِذاwhen نَظَرَتit gazes upon ذاone possessing العَقلِreason راحَhe departs بِلاwithout عَقلِreason
إِذا نَظَرَت ذا العَقلِ راحَ بِلا عَقلِ
is no more bewitching than the pupil of a kohl-darkened eye:
is more bewitching than the pupil of a kohl-dark eye:
when that eye looks upon a man of reason, he departs bereft of reason.
when it gazes upon a man of reason, he departs bereft of reason.
