إِذاwhen جِئتُI come قالواthey say قَدalready أَتىhe has come وَتَهامَسواand they whisper among themselves
إِذا جِئتُ قالوا قَد أَتى وَتَهامَسوا
كَأَنas though لَمdid not يَجِدexperience فيماin what مَضىpassed أَحَدٌanyone وَجديmy passion
كَأَن لَم يَجِد فيما مَضى أَحَدٌ وَجدي
When I come, they say, “He has come,” and whisper among themselves.
When I come, they say he has arrived and whisper
As though no one in times past had felt my passion.
As though before me none felt passion, none.
فَعُروَةُfor ʿUrwa سَنَّestablished الحُبَّlove قَبليَbefore me إِذwhen شَقىhe suffered
فَعُروَةُ سَنَّ الحُبَّ قَبليَ إِذ شَقى
بِعفَراءَfor ʿAfrāʾ والنَهديُّand al-Nahdī ماتَhe died عَلىfor هِندِHind
بِعفَراءَ والنَهديُّ ماتَ عَلى هِندِ
For ʿUrwa set the precedent for love before me, when he suffered
Yet ʿUrwa suffered love's agony before me
for ʿAfrāʾ; and al-Nahdī died of love for Hind.
For ʿAfra, and an-Nahdi died for Hind.
Sol 6.1