وَعَاذِلَةٍand many a reproachful woman هَبَّتْrose وَللنَّجْمِwhile the star had لَفْتَةٌa glance
وَعَاذِلَةٍ هَبَّتْ وَللنَّجْمِ لَفْتَةٌ
إِلىtoward الفَجْرِdawn تَلْحانيshe reproaches me وَلَمْand did not تَدْرِknow ماwhat خَطْبيmy plight
إِلى الفَجْرِ تَلْحاني وَلَمْ تَدْرِ ما خَطْبي
And many a reproachful woman rose, while the star cast a glance
toward dawn, chiding me, not knowing my plight.
وَتَزْعُمُand she claims أَنَّthat المَرْءَa man فيin طَلَبِpursuit of العُلاglory
وَتَزْعُمُ أَنَّ المَرْءَ في طَلَبِ العُلا
يَميلُhe inclines بِهاديهwith his neck إِلىtoward مَرْكَبٍa mount صَعْبِunruly
يَميلُ بِهاديه إِلى مَرْكَبٍ صَعْبِ
And she claims that a man, in pursuit of glory,
turns his neck toward an unruly mount.
إِذَاif أَنَاI لَمْdid not أَمْلِكْcommand علىover الدهرِfate طَاعَتيobedience to me
إِذَا أَنَا لَمْ أَمْلِكْ على الدهرِ طَاعَتي
وَأَصْبَحتُand I became مَطْويَّfolded الضُّلوعِthe ribs علىaround عَتْبِresentment
وَأَصْبَحتُ مَطْويَّ الضُّلوعِ على عَتْبِ
If I cannot impose my will on fate,
and find my ribs folded around resentment,
وَمَاand not اسْتَرْعَفَتْdrew blood مِنْfrom لَبَّةِthe upper breast of القِرْنِthe rival صَعْدَتِيmy lance
وَمَا اسْتَرْعَفَتْ مِنْ لَبَّةِ القِرْنِ صَعْدَتِي
وَلَمْand did not يَتَلَمَّظْlick its lips بَيْنَbetween أَوْداجِهhis jugular veins عَضْبيmy keen sword
وَلَمْ يَتَلَمَّظْ بَيْنَ أَوْداجِه عَضْبي
and my lance has drawn no blood from the rival’s breast,
nor has my keen sword licked its lips between his jugular veins,
فَبئْسَthen wretched is سَليلُthe scion of الحَيِّthe clan مَنْthe one whom بَشَّرَتْgave glad tidings بِهof him
فَبئْسَ سَليلُ الحَيِّ مَنْ بَشَّرَتْ بِه
قَوابِلُهُhis midwives حُمْشَthe lean الشَّوَىlimbs مِنْof بَنِيthe sons of حَرْبِḤarb
قَوابِلُهُ حُمْشَ الشَّوَى مِنْ بَنِي حَرْبِ
then wretched is the clan’s scion whose birth was heralded
by his midwives to the lean-limbed men of Banū Ḥarb.
Sol 6.1