آلَيتُ لا أَمشي إِلى رَبِّ لِقحَةٍ

آلَيتُ لا أَمشي إِلى رَبِّ لِقحَةٍ

أُساوِمُهُ حَتّى يَؤوبَ المُثَلَّمُ

أُساوِمُهُ حَتّى يَؤوبَ المُثَلَّمُ

I swore not to go to the owner of a milch she-camel

I have resolved I shall not walk to meet a patchwork lord

to bargain with him until al-Muthallam returns.

To haggle with him till the blemished one withdraws,

وَقالوا لَهُ حَمراءُ كَوماءُ جَلدَةٌ

وَقالوا لَهُ حَمراءُ كَوماءُ جَلدَةٌ

وَراخوا لَهُ في السَومِ وَالقَتلُ يُكتَمُ

وَراخوا لَهُ في السَومِ وَالقَتلُ يُكتَمُ

And they told him, “A red she-camel, high-humped and sturdy,”

And they said to him, “A red-skinned Nubian, a tough hide,”

and yielded to him in bargaining, while murder was kept secret.

And they let him have his way in bartering and secret killing.

فَأَصبَحَ قَد عُمّي عَلى الناسِ أَمرُهُ

فَأَصبَحَ قَد عُمّي عَلى الناسِ أَمرُهُ

وَقَد باتَ يَجري فَوقَ أَثوابِهِ الدَمُ

وَقَد باتَ يَجري فَوقَ أَثوابِهِ الدَمُ

So by morning his fate was hidden from the people,

So he woke blind in the eyes of the people,

though blood had flowed over his garments through the night.

And he had gone to bed with blood flowing over his clothes,

وَقَد كانَ عَمّا كانَ عَنهُ بِمَعزِلٍ

وَقَد كانَ عَمّا كانَ عَنهُ بِمَعزِلٍ

وَلَكِنَّ رَيبَ الدَهرِ بِالناسِ مُغرَمُ

وَلَكِنَّ رَيبَ الدَهرِ بِالناسِ مُغرَمُ

He had been far removed from what came to pass,

He had indeed been far from what had now befallen him,

yet time’s misfortunes are enamored of humankind.

But he was fascinated by the tricks time plays on men.