إِنّيindeed I أَبيتُspend the night وَهَمُّand the worry of المَرءِa man يَعمِدُهُweighs upon him
إِنّي أَبيتُ وَهَمُّ المَرءِ يَعمِدُهُ
مِنfrom أَوَّلِthe beginning of اللَيلِthe night حَتّىuntil يَبرَحَappears السَفَرُdawn
مِن أَوَّلِ اللَيلِ حَتّى يَبرَحَ السَفَرُ
I spend the night, with a man's worry weighing upon him,
I stayed awake as a man's anxiety leads him
from the start of night until dawn breaks.
From the beginning of the night until dawn breaks for travel
مَتىwhen تُبَلِّغُناwill carry us to الآفاقَthe horizons يَعمَلَةٌa tireless she-camel
مَتى تُبَلِّغُنا الآفاقَ يَعمَلَةٌ
لُمَّتwas firmly built كَماjust as لُمَّwas piled together بِالدَوِيَّةِin the wilderness الأَمَرُthe stone cairn
لُمَّت كَما لُمَّ بِالدَوِيَّةِ الأَمَرُ
When will a tireless she-camel carry us to the horizons,
When will messengers deliver us good news?
firmly built, as a stone cairn is piled in the wilderness?
Things became hopeless as with incurable illness
تُعارِضُshe traverses اللَيلَthe night ماas long as لاحَتshone كَواكِبُهُits stars
تُعارِضُ اللَيلَ ما لاحَت كَواكِبُهُ
كَماjust as يُعارِضُfaces مَرنىthe sight of الخِلعَةِthe wagered prize اليَسَرُthe gambler
كَما يُعارِضُ مَرنى الخِلعَةِ اليَسَرُ
She traverses the night as long as its stars shine,
The night competes with its stars' radiance
as a gambler faces the wagered prize in view.
As the ease of removing a garment competes with the left hand
إِلَيكَtoward you سِرناwe drove أَباO Abu بَكرٍBakr رَواحِلَناour riding camels
إِلَيكَ سِرنا أَبا بَكرٍ رَواحِلَنا
نَروحُwe travel at evening ثُمَّتَthen نَسريwe travel by night ثُمَّthen نَبتَكِرُwe set out at dawn
نَروحُ ثُمَّتَ نَسري ثُمَّ نَبتَكِرُ
Toward you, Abu Bakr, we drove our riding camels,
To you Abu Bakr we sped our she-camels
traveling at evening, then by night, then setting out at dawn.
We ride briskly then gallop then set out early
فَماso, not أَتَيناكَwe reached you حَتّىuntil خالَطَتencountered نَقَباًhoof soreness
فَما أَتَيناكَ حَتّى خالَطَت نَقَباً
أَيديthe forefeet of المَطِيِّthe riding camels وَحَتّىand until خَفَّتِgrew light السُفَرُthe provision bags
أَيدي المَطِيِّ وَحَتّى خَفَّتِ السُفَرُ
So we did not reach you until sores had afflicted
Until we came to you after the hand of the rider mixed with dust
our camels' forefeet, and the provision bags had grown light.
And the journey came to an end
حَتّىuntil أَتَيناwe came to أَباAbu بَكرٍBakr بِمِدحَتِهِwith praise for him
حَتّى أَتَينا أَبا بَكرٍ بِمِدحَتِهِ
وَماand not تَجَهَّمَنيdaunted me بُعدٌdistance وَلاnor حَصَرُexhaustion
وَما تَجَهَّمَني بُعدٌ وَلا حَصَرُ
Until we came to Abu Bakr bearing praise for him,
Until we came to Abu Bakr with his eulogy
and neither distance nor exhaustion daunted me.
With no spatial or temporal separation left to hinder me
وَجَّهتُI directed عَنسيmy sturdy she-camel إِلىtoward حُلوٍone sweet in شَمائِلُهُhis qualities
وَجَّهتُ عَنسي إِلى حُلوٍ شَمائِلُهُ
كَأَنَّas though سُنَّتَهُhis face فيin المَسجِدِthe mosque القَمَرُthe moon
كَأَنَّ سُنَّتَهُ في المَسجِدِ القَمَرُ
I steered my sturdy she-camel toward one whose character is sweet,
I set my purpose towards the sweet and noble qualities
as though his face in the mosque were the moon.
As if his way in the mosque were the moon
فَرعانِtwo branches ماnot مِنهُماof the two إِلّاexcept أَخوa man of ثِقَةٍtrustworthiness
فَرعانِ ما مِنهُما إِلّا أَخو ثِقَةٍ
ماas long as دامَremains فيamong الناسِthe people حَيٌّa living person وَالفَتىand the young man عُمَرُUmar
ما دامَ في الناسِ حَيٌّ وَالفَتى عُمَرُ
Two branches, each a man worthy of trust,
Before long they were but two brothers in complete trust
as long as anyone lives among men—he and the young man Umar.
As long as among people there is life and the young man Umar
Sol 6.1