ياO ناقُshe-camel خُبّيtrot خَبباa trot زِوَرّاvigorous
يا ناقُ خُبّي خَببا زِوَرّا
وقلبِّيand keep turning منسَمكِyour hoof المُغبَرَاdust-covered
وقلبِّي منسَمكِ المُغبَرَا
O she-camel, trot a vigorous trot,
And keep turning your dust-covered hoof,
وعارضيand keep pace with الليلَthe night إذاwhen ماemphatic particle اخضَرّاit turned green-black
وعارضي الليلَ إذا ما اخضَرّا
أَخبرَكِtold you البارحُthe ill-omened passing creature حينَwhen مَرَّاit passed
أَخبرَكِ البارحُ حينَ مَرَّا
And keep pace with the night when it turns green-black.
The ill-omened creature told you as it passed,
إذfor سَوفَwill تَلقَينَyou meet جَواداًa generous man حُرّاfreeborn
إذ سَوفَ تَلقَينَ جَواداً حُرّا
سَيّدَthe lord of قيسٍQays زُفَرَZufar الأغرّاthe illustrious
سَيّدَ قيسٍ زُفَرَ الأغرّا
For you will meet a generous, freeborn man:
The lord of Qays, Zufar the illustrious.
ذاكthat one الذيwho بايعَpledged allegiance ثمthen بَرّاkept faith
ذاك الذي بايعَ ثم بَرّا
ونقضَand repudiated الآباءَthe forefathers واستَمَرّاand persevered
ونقضَ الآباءَ واستَمَرّا
That is he who pledged allegiance, then kept faith,
And repudiated the forefathers, and persevered.
قدindeed نَفَعَbrought benefit اللهُGod بهthrough him وضرّاand brought harm
قد نَفَعَ اللهُ به وضرّا
وكانand he was فيin الحَربِwar شِهاباًa meteor مُرّاfierce (literally bitter)
وكان في الحَربِ شِهاباً مُرّا
God has indeed brought benefit through him, and harm,
And in war he was a fierce meteor.
Sol 6.1