أَيُّwhich نَهرٍriver يَجريflows بِأَقذرthrough the filthiest وادٍvalley
أَيُّ نَهرٍ يَجري بِأَقذر وادٍ
هُوَit is لِلخَلقِfor creation أَجمَعينall مدامُwine
هُوَ لِلخَلقِ أَجمَعين مدامُ
What river flows through the filthiest valley,
What river flows through the filthiest valley,
and is wine for all creation?
Yet it is lawful wine for all people.
وَهوَand it is عِندَin the view of الجَميعeveryone خَمرٌwine حلالٌlawful
وَهوَ عِندَ الجَميع خَمرٌ حلالٌ
وَلَدىand among المُسلِمينthe Muslims أَيضاًalso حَرامforbidden
وَلَدى المُسلِمين أَيضاً حَرام
For everyone it is lawful wine,
For Muslims too it is forbidden,
yet for Muslims it is also forbidden.
It is the heart of a star if some of it appears.
وَهوَand it is قَلبٌa reversal للنجمof the star إِنif بانَis separated مِنهُfrom it الthe
وَهوَ قَلبٌ للنجم إِن بانَ مِنهُ ال
بعضpart فافهمso understand إشارتيmy hint ياO همامnoble one
بعض فافهم إشارتي يا همام
It is a star's name reversed, if from it
Understand my hint, O wise one.
a part is removed—so grasp my hint, O noble one.
It is also, when spelled with damma, the noblest thing,
وَهوَand it is أَيضاًalso بِالضمwith a u-vowel أَنفسmost precious شَيءthing
وَهوَ أَيضاً بِالضم أَنفس شَيء
تَتَحلىare adorned بِهِwith it صُدورٌbreasts عظامgreat
تَتَحلى بِهِ صُدورٌ عظام
With a u-vowel, it is also the most precious thing,
With which great souls are adorned.
with which the breasts of the great are adorned.
If you change this with a letter,
فَإِذاthen if ماconditional emphasis قلبتَyou change هَذاthis بحرفwith a letter
فَإِذا ما قلبتَ هَذا بحرف
مِنfrom حُروفletters بِهاby them يَتمis completed النظامthe composition
مِن حُروف بِها يَتم النظام
If you then change this with a letter
With which systems are completed.
from the letters that complete the composition,
And if you change that, it is something,
وَإِذاand if ماconditional emphasis قلبتyou reverse ذاكَthat فشيءٌthen something
وَإِذا ما قلبت ذاكَ فشيءٌ
لاnot يُضاهيهmatches it فيin النضالcombat حسامa sharp sword
لا يُضاهيه في النضال حسام
and if you reverse that, it is something
Nothing equals it in struggle, like a sword.
no sword can match in combat.
If its heart is removed, it is a letter,
وَلئنand even if زالَis removed قَلبُهits middle فَهوَthen it is حرفa particle
وَلئن زالَ قَلبُه فَهوَ حرف
فيهِabout it خلفٌdisagreement لَديهمُamong them وَخصامand dispute
فيهِ خلفٌ لَديهمُ وَخصام
And if its middle is removed, it is a particle
In which they have dissent and conflict.
over which they disagree and dispute.
It is a verb, if its beginning appears,
وَهوَand it is فعلٌa verb إِنif رَأسُهُits first letter بانَis separated عَنهfrom it
وَهوَ فعلٌ إِن رَأسُهُ بانَ عَنه
وَنَباتand a plant بِهِthrough it يَزولvanishes السقامillness
وَنَبات بِهِ يَزول السقام
It is a verb if its first letter is removed,
A plant with which disease disappears.
and a plant through which illness is dispelled.
And if you rearrange it, it is something,
وَإِذاand if ماconditional emphasis حرّفتهyou alter it فَهوَthen it is شَيءٌsomething
وَإِذا ما حرّفته فَهوَ شَيءٌ
مِنهُfrom it أُنثىa female أَتَتcame لَناto us وَغُلامand a boy
مِنهُ أُنثى أَتَت لَنا وَغُلام
And if you alter it, it is something
From which a female came to us and a boy.
from which a female and a boy have come to us.
Reflect on its solution, for it is difficult,
فَتأمّلso ponder فيon حلِّهits solution فَهوَfor it is صَعبٌdifficult
فَتأمّل في حلِّه فَهوَ صَعبٌ
وَتفطَّنand be discerning فَالذكرfor the male فيهِin it المَرامthe desired aim
وَتفطَّن فَالذكر فيهِ المَرام
So ponder its solution, for it is difficult,
And be perceptive, for the mention is the purpose.
and be discerning: the male is the object sought here.
Partial English translation: 19 of 20 Arabic lines translated.