نَطَقَتspoke بَنوsons of أَسَدٍAsad وَلَمand did not تَجهَرspeak aloud
نَطَقَت بَنو أَسَدٍ وَلَم تَجهَر
وَتَكَلَّمَتand spoke خَفياًsecretly وَلَمand did not تَظهَرshow themselves
وَتَكَلَّمَت خَفياً وَلَم تَظهَر
Banu Asad spoke, but did not speak aloud;
Banu Asad spoke, but not aloud,
They spoke in secret and did not come forth.
and spoke in secret, without showing themselves.
وَأَماand indeed وَرَبَّby the Lord of البَيتِthe House لَوif نَطَقَتthey spoke
وَأَما وَرَبَّ البَيتِ لَو نَطَقَت
لَتَرَكتُهاI would surely have left them وَصَباحُهاand their morning أَغبَرdust-gray
لَتَرَكتُها وَصَباحُها أَغبَر
Yet, by the Lord of the House, had they spoken out,
Indeed, by the Lord of the House, had they spoken out,
I would have left them to a dust-dark dawn.
I would have left them with a dust-gray morning.
أَيَرومُdoes he seek? شَتميinsulting me مِنهُمُfrom among them رَجُلٌa man
أَيَرومُ شَتمي مِنهُمُ رَجُلٌ
فيin وَجهِهِhis face عِبَرٌlessons لِمَنfor whoever فَكَّرreflects
في وَجهِهِ عِبَرٌ لِمَن فَكَّر
Does a man among them seek to insult me,
Does a man among them seek to insult me,
when his face holds lessons for whoever reflects?
whose face holds lessons for anyone who reflects?
وَاِبنُand the son of الحُبابِal-Hubab صَليبَةًof pure lineage زَعَمواthey claimed
وَاِبنُ الحُبابِ صَليبَةً زَعَموا
وَمِنَand among المُحالِthe impossible صَليبَةٌone of pure lineage أَشقَرfair-haired
وَمِنَ المُحالِ صَليبَةٌ أَشقَر
And Ibn al-Hubab is of pure lineage, they claim—
And Ibn al-Hubab is of pure lineage, they claimed;
yet pure lineage in a fair-complexioned man is impossible.
yet a fair-haired man of pure lineage is an impossibility.
ماwhat بالُis the matter with مَنone whose آباؤُهُhis forefathers عَرَبُArab الthe
ما بالُ مَن آباؤُهُ عَرَبُ ال
أَلوانِcomplexions يُحسَبُis counted مِنamong بَنيthe sons of قَيصَرCaesar
أَلوانِ يُحسَبُ مِن بَني قَيصَر
What of a man whose forefathers bear Arab
Why is one whose forefathers are Arab in
complexions, yet he is counted among Caesar’s sons?
complexion counted among Caesar's sons?
أَتَرونَdo you think? أَهلَpeople of البَدوِthe desert قَدindeed مُسِخواhave been transformed
أَتَرونَ أَهلَ البَدوِ قَد مُسِخوا
شُقراًfair-haired أَماis it not? هَذاthis مِنَamong المُنكَرthe absurd
شُقراً أَما هَذا مِنَ المُنكَر
Do you think the desert people have been transformed
Do you think the desert folk have indeed been transformed
into fair-complexioned men? Is this not an outrage?
into fair-haired people? Is this not absurd?
Sol 6.1