ياO رَبعَdwelling بُسرَةَBusra بِالجَنابِat al-Janab تَكَلَّمِspeak
يا رَبعَ بُسرَةَ بِالجَنابِ تَكَلَّمِ
وَأَبِنand tell plainly لَناto us خَبَراًnews وَلاand do not تَستَعجِمِremain mute
وَأَبِن لَنا خَبَراً وَلا تَستَعجِمِ
O Busra’s dwelling at al-Janab, speak!
And tell us news plainly; do not remain mute.
ماليwhat ails me? رَأَيتُكَI saw you بَعدَafter أَهلِكَyour people موحِشاًdesolate
مالي رَأَيتُكَ بَعدَ أَهلِكَ موحِشاً
خَلَقاًworn-out كَحَوضِlike the trough of الباقرthe cattle المُتَهَدِّمِcrumbling
خَلَقاً كَحَوضِ الباقر المُتَهَدِّمِ
Why do I see you desolate, now your people have gone,
Worn-out, like the cattle’s crumbling trough?
تَسبيshe captivates الضَجيعَthe bedfellow إِذاwhen النُجومُthe stars تَغَوَّرَتhave sunk from sight
تَسبي الضَجيعَ إِذا النُجومُ تَغَوَّرَت
طَوعُyielding to الضَجيعِthe bedfellow أَنيقَةُlovely to المُتَوَسِّمِthe beholder
طَوعُ الضَجيعِ أَنيقَةُ المُتَوَسِّمِ
She captivates her bedfellow when the stars sink from sight,
Yielding to her bedfellow, lovely to the beholder.
قُبُّslender البُطونِof belly أَوانِسٌgracious women مِثلُlike الدُمىstatues
قُبُّ البُطونِ أَوانِسٌ مِثلُ الدُمى
يَخلِطنَthey mingle ذاكَthat بِعفَّةٍwith chastity وتَكَرُّمِand nobility
يَخلِطنَ ذاكَ بِعفَّةٍ وتَكَرُّمِ
Slender-bellied, gracious women, like statues,
They mingle that with chastity and nobility.
Sol 6.1