بمَنthrough whom تَسطُوstrike الصَّوارِمُthe keen swords والعَواليand the lofty lances
بمَن تَسطُو الصَّوارِمُ والعَوالي
وقدand already غَالَتْكَhave slain you أَحداثُthe calamities of اللَّياليthe nights
وقد غَالَتْكَ أَحداثُ اللَّيالي
Through whom shall keen swords and lofty lances strike,
Now that the nights’ calamities have slain you?
وأومضَand gleamed ناجِذاكyour two molars بلاwithout ابتسامٍa smile
وأومضَ ناجِذاك بلا ابتسامٍ
ومُدَّتand were outstretched رَاحتاكyour two palms بلاwithout نَوالgiving
ومُدَّت رَاحتاك بلا نَوال
And your two molars gleamed without a smile,
And your palms were outstretched without a gift.
أحَدَّheld back الطيرَthe birds شِلْوُكَyour corpse وهوwhile it was بادٍexposed
أحَدَّ الطيرَ شِلْوُكَ وهو بادٍ
لمُخترِقِto the sweep of الجنائبِthe south winds والشَّمالand the north wind
لمُخترِقِ الجنائبِ والشَّمال
Your corpse held the birds at bay, though it lay exposed
To the sweep of the south winds and the north wind.
تمُرُّthey pass بهِby it ولاand do not تَعلُوrise عليهabove it
تمُرُّ بهِ ولا تَعلُو عليه
حياءًout of modesty منbefore كريماتِthe noble qualities of المعاليlofty virtue
حياءً من كريماتِ المعالي
They pass it by, but do not rise above it,
Out of modesty before your noble, lofty virtues.
Sol 6.1