لَولاwere it not for أُميمَةُUmayma لَمْnot أَجزَعْI dread مِنَfrom العَدَمِdestitution
لَولا أُميمَةُ لَمْ أَجزَعْ مِنَ العَدَمِ
وَلَمْand not أُقاسِI endure الدُّجىthe night’s darkness فيin حِنْدِسِpitch-blackness الظُّلَمِthe darkness
وَلَمْ أُقاسِ الدُّجى في حِنْدِسِ الظُّلَمِ
Were it not for Umayma, I would not dread destitution,
Were it not for Umayma, I would not dread destitution,
nor would I brave the night through the blackest depths of gloom.
And would not endure the night amid pitch-black darkness.
أُحاذِرُI fear الفُقْرَpoverty يَوماًone day أَنْthat يُلِمَّdescend بهاupon her
أُحاذِرُ الفُقْرَ يَوماً أَنْ يُلِمَّ بها
فَيهْتِكَand so tear away السِّتْرَthe veil عنfrom لَحْمٍflesh علىupon وَضَمِa board for laying meat on
فَيهْتِكَ السِّتْرَ عن لَحْمٍ على وَضَمِ
I fear that poverty may one day descend upon her
I fear that poverty may one day descend upon her,
and strip the covering from my flesh, exposed on a butcher’s block.
And tear the veil from flesh upon a meat-board.
تَهْوىshe desires حَياتِيmy life وَأَهوىand I desire مَوْتَهاher death شَفَقاًout of tender concern
تَهْوى حَياتِي وَأَهوى مَوْتَها شَفَقاً
وَالمَوْتُand death أَكْرَمُthe noblest نَزّالٍguest علىupon الحُرَمِthe women under one’s protection
وَالمَوْتُ أَكْرَمُ نَزّالٍ على الحُرَمِ
She longs for me to live; I, out of tenderness, long for her death—
She desires my life, and I desire her death out of tender concern,
for death is the nobler guest to visit the women under one’s protection.
And death is the noblest guest to visit the womenfolk.
Sol 6.1