يُريدُ وَثاقٌ ناقَتي وَيَعيبُها

يُريدُ وَثاقٌ ناقَتي وَيَعيبُها

يُخادِعُني عَنها وَثاقُ بنِ جابِرِ

يُخادِعُني عَنها وَثاقُ بنِ جابِرِ

Wathaq wants my she-camel, all while finding fault with her;

Wathaq wants my she-camel and disparages her.

Wathaq ibn Jabir tries to trick me out of her.

Wathaq son of Jabir tries to trick me out of her.

فَقُلتُ تَعَلَّم يا وِثاقُ بِأَنَّها

فَقُلتُ تَعَلَّم يا وِثاقُ بِأَنَّها

عَلَيكَ حِمىً أُخرى اللَيالي الغَوابِرِ

عَلَيكَ حِمىً أُخرى اللَيالي الغَوابِرِ

So I said, “Know, Wathaq, that she is

So I said: Know, Wathaq, that she

a protected preserve, barred to you till the last of the nights to come.

is a preserve forbidden to you till the last of the nights to come.

بَصَرتَ بِها كَوماءَ حَوساءَ جَلدَةً

بَصَرتَ بِها كَوماءَ حَوساءَ جَلدَةً

مِنَ المولياتِ الهامِ حَدَّ الظَهائِرِ

مِنَ المولياتِ الهامِ حَدَّ الظَهائِرِ

You saw that she was great-humped, powerful, and hardy—

You caught sight of her—high-humped, massive, sturdy—

one of those that turn their heads at the noontide’s fiercest heat.

one of those that expose their heads to the fierce heat of noon.

فَحاوَلتَ خَدعي والظُنونُ كَواذِبٌ

فَحاوَلتَ خَدعي والظُنونُ كَواذِبٌ

وَكَم طامِعٍ في خِدعَتي غَير ظافِرِ

وَكَم طامِعٍ في خِدعَتي غَير ظافِرِ

Then you tried to deceive me—but conjectures can lie;

So you tried to deceive me, but expectations prove false;

and how many have hoped to dupe me, only to fail!”

and many a man hoping to trick me has failed.