حتىuntil علوْتُهُمI struck them بالسيفwith the sword فانتبهواso they awoke
حتى علوْتُهُم بالسيف فانتبهوا
منfrom بعدafter أنthat كانwas قدalready هَبُّواthey had awoken كأنْas though هَجدواthey slept
من بعد أن كان قد هَبُّوا كأنْ هَجدوا
Until I struck them with the sword, and they awoke,
After they had roused themselves, as though still asleep.
تنبَّهواthey awoke عنfrom كَراهمtheir slumber بعدafter أنthat حَلَمواthey had dreamed
تنبَّهوا عن كَراهم بعد أن حَلَموا
بحِلْمof a dream سوءٍof ill مليءٍable to make good بالذيon what يَعِدُit promises
بحِلْم سوءٍ مليءٍ بالذي يَعِدُ
They woke from their slumber after dreaming
A dream of ill, able to make good on what it promises.
رامُواthey sought تلافِيَto remedy أمْرٍa matter فاتhad slipped away أوَّلُهُits beginning
رامُوا تلافِيَ أمْرٍ فات أوَّلُهُ
وكيفand how يرجعcan return أمسٌyesterday قدalready محاهhas erased it غَدُtomorrow
وكيف يرجع أمسٌ قد محاه غَدُ
They sought to remedy a matter whose beginning had slipped away;
And how can yesterday return, when tomorrow has erased it?
أنّىhow could that be وقدwhen already أنشبتْhad sunk فيهمinto them مخالبهاtheir claws
أنّى وقد أنشبتْ فيهم مخالبها
تلكthose الدواهيthe calamities وفُلَّتand were blunted منهمُof theirs العُدَدُthe weapons
تلك الدواهي وفُلَّت منهمُ العُدَدُ
How, when claws had already been sunk into them
By those calamities, and their weapons had been blunted?
ومنand whoever رعىtends غنماًsheep فيin أرضa land مَسْبَعَةٍinfested with predators
ومن رعى غنماً في أرض مَسْبَعَةٍ
ونامand sleeps عنهاheedless of them تولَّىtakes over رعيهاtheir tending الأسدُthe lion
ونام عنها تولَّى رعيها الأسدُ
And if one tends sheep in a land of predators
And sleeps, heedless of them, the lion takes over their tending.
Sol 6.1