وَفيand among الظَعائِنthe traveling women وَالأَحداجِand the camel-litters أَحسَنُthe fairest مَنof those who
وَفي الظَعائِن وَالأَحداجِ أَحسَنُ مَن
حَلَّdwelt in العِراقَIraq وَحَلَّand dwelt in الشامal-Sham وَاليمناand Yemen
حَلَّ العِراقَ وَحَلَّ الشام وَاليمنا
And among the traveling women and camel-litters is the fairest of those who
The loveliest of all in tents and in vales am I,
have dwelt in Iraq, al-Sham, and Yemen:
Who Iraq, Syria, and Yemen traversed have and gone by.
جَنيَّةًa jinn-maiden مِنamong نِساءِwomen of الأنسِhumankind أَحسَنُlovelier مِنthan
جَنيَّةً مِن نِساءِ الأنسِ أَحسَنُ مِن
شَمسِthe sun of النَهارِthe daytime وَبَدرand the full moon of اللَيلِthe night لَوif قُرِناthe two were joined
شَمسِ النَهارِ وَبَدر اللَيلِ لَو قُرِنا
a jinn-maiden among human women, lovelier than
Of all the fair ones of mankind most fair is she I've ta'en,
the daytime sun and the full moon of night, if the two were joined.
Brighter than sun at noon, or moon of night that just doth wane.
مَكتومَةconcealed الذِكرmention عِنديwith me ماas long as حييتُI live لَهاfor her
مَكتومَة الذِكر عِندي ما حييتُ لَها
وَقَدand indeed لَعَمريby my life مَلِلتُI have wearied of الصَرَمَestrangement وَالحَزناand sorrow
وَقَد لَعَمري مَلِلتُ الصَرَمَ وَالحَزنا
Her name I keep secret for her sake, as long as I live;
While life remains she still is hid who garreth me lament.
and indeed, by my life, I have wearied of estrangement and sorrow.
Of grief and cheerless days, forsooth, I've wearied me and faint.
وَصاحِبِand a companion of السوءevil كَالداءِlike a disease العياءِincurable إِذاwhen
وَصاحِبِ السوء كَالداءِ العياءِ إِذا
ماemphatic particle اِرفَضَّit spreads فيthrough الجِلدِthe skin يَجريit runs هاpointing particle هناhere وَهناand there
ما اِرفَضَّ في الجِلدِ يَجري ها هنا وَهنا
And a bad companion is like an incurable disease when
A comrade evil is like leprosy that striketh skin
it spreads through the skin, running here and there.
And spreadeth here and there what while it crawleth deep within.
يَبديhe exposes وَيخبرُand tells عَنof عَوراتِthe faults of صاحِبهhis companion
يَبدي وَيخبرُ عَن عَوراتِ صاحِبه
وَماand whatever يَرىhe sees عِندَهُin him منof صالِحٍgood دَفَناhe buries
وَما يَرى عِندَهُ من صالِحٍ دَفَنا
He exposes and tells of his companion's faults,
He will reveal his fellow's faults and nakedness detect,
and whatever good he sees in him, he buries.
Yet aught of good he witnesses he carefully will check.
كَمهرlike a colt of سَوءٍbad temper إِذاif رَفَّعتَyou quicken سيرَتَهُits pace
كَمهر سَوءٍ إِذا رَفَّعتَ سيرَتَهُ
رامَit seeks الجِماحَbolting وَإِنand if أَخفَضتهyou slow it down حَرَناit balks
رامَ الجِماحَ وَإِن أَخفَضته حَرَنا
Like an ill-tempered colt: if you quicken its pace,
A worthless horse, if thou desire his points to recognise,
it tries to bolt; and if you slow it down, it balks.
Urge him to speed, or firmly rein him in, he straightway flies.
إِنif يَحيhe lives ذاكَthat man فَكُنthen keep مِنهُfrom him بِمعزلةٍat a distance
إِن يَحي ذاكَ فَكُن مِنهُ بِمعزلةٍ
أَوor ماتَhe dies ذاكَthat man فَلاthen do not تَشهَدُattend لَهfor him جَنَناa grave
أَو ماتَ ذاكَ فَلا تَشهَدُ لَه جَنَنا
If that man lives, keep your distance from him;
If still that fellow lives, hold thou aloof from him afar;
or if that man dies, do not attend his burial.
Or, should he die, frequent thou not his tomb, nor burial mar.
Sol 6.1