تَرَكْتُI left العُلاglory وَالعِيسُwhile the pale camels يَنْفُخْنَsnort فيthrough البُرَىthe nose-rings
تَرَكْتُ العُلا وَالعِيسُ يَنْفُخْنَ في البُرَى
لِمُتَّشِحٍto one cloaked بِالذُّلِّin humiliation إِذْwhen قَلَّdwindled مالُهُhis wealth
لِمُتَّشِحٍ بِالذُّلِّ إِذْ قَلَّ مالُهُ
I left glory—while the pale camels snorted through their nose-rings—
I left glory behind, though the wind blows it about the meadows,
To one cloaked in humiliation when his wealth dwindled.
For one wrapped in humility when his wealth grew scarce,
وَقَدْand indeed كُنْتُI used to أُزْجِيdrive onward الأَرْحَبِيَّthe Arhabi camel علىdespite الوَجَىfoot soreness
وَقَدْ كُنْتُ أُزْجِي الأَرْحَبِيَّ على الوَجَى
فَأَنْزِلُthen I dismount عَنْهُfrom it وَالكَلالُwhile exhaustion عِقالُهُits hobble
فَأَنْزِلُ عَنْهُ وَالكَلالُ عِقالُهُ
And I used to drive the Arhabi camel onward despite its aching feet,
Once I would race the wide plain on a steed,
Then dismount from it, exhaustion its hobble.
But now I dismount from him when tiredness is his bridle,
فَأَلْقَيْتُso I cast down إِذْwhen لَمْdid not يَبْقَremain فيon الأَرْضِthe earth مَسْرَحٌa place to roam
فَأَلْقَيْتُ إِذْ لَمْ يَبْقَ في الأَرْضِ مَسْرَحٌ
رِحاليmy saddles فَقُلْso say فيof الطَّرْفِthe thoroughbred horse ضاقَhas narrowed مَجالُهُits range
رِحالي فَقُلْ في الطَّرْفِ ضاقَ مَجالُهُ
So I cast down—when no roaming-ground remained on earth—
So I cast off when no wide space was left on earth,
My saddles; say of the thoroughbred that its range has narrowed.
My belongings, and say to my soul - its expanse narrowed,
وَإِنِّيand indeed I لَأَرْضَىam surely content مِنْfrom زَمانيmy days بِبُلْغَةٍwith bare sustenance
وَإِنِّي لَأَرْضَى مِنْ زَماني بِبُلْغَةٍ
وَعِرْضِيwhile my honor مَصُونٌguarded لَمْdid not يَشِنْهُsully it ابْتِذالُهُits debasement
وَعِرْضِي مَصُونٌ لَمْ يَشِنْهُ ابْتِذالُهُ
And I am indeed content with the bare sustenance my days afford,
And I am content in my time with eloquence,
While my honor is guarded, unsullied by debasement,
My honor kept safe, not cheapened by vulgarity,
بِشُرْبٍwith a drink كَوَلْغِlike the lapping of الذِّئْبِthe wolf راعَتْهُstartled it نَبْأَةٌa faint sound
بِشُرْبٍ كَوَلْغِ الذِّئْبِ راعَتْهُ نَبْأَةٌ
وَأَكْلٍand eating كَنَوْشِlike the snatching of الصَّقْرِthe falcon مِمّاfrom what يَنالُهُit obtains it
وَأَكْلٍ كَنَوْشِ الصَّقْرِ مِمّا يَنالُهُ
With a drink like the lapping of a wolf startled by a faint sound,
Drinking in gulps like a wolf who heard news,
And a meal like a falcon's snatching at whatever it can reach.
And eating like a falcon from what it obtains.
Sol 6.1