بَكَرَتshe came early بِاللَومِwith reproach تَلحاناscolding us
بَكَرَت بِاللَومِ تَلحانا
فيover بَعيرٍa camel ضَلَّstrayed أَوحاناor perished
في بَعيرٍ ضَلَّ أَوحانا
She came early with reproach, scolding us
She blamed me early for losing
over a camel that strayed or perished.
Our camel astray in waning dawn
عَلقتshe clung to لَوّاً“if only” تُكَرِّرُهاshe repeats it
عَلقت لَوّاً تُكَرِّرُها
إِنindeed لَوّاً“if only” ذاكَthat أَعياناhas wearied us
إِن لَوّاً ذاكَ أَعيانا
She clung to “if only,” repeating it;
Attaching blame that she repeats
indeed, that “if only” has wearied us.
Though blame in such case is spawn
اِعلَميknow أَنthat كُلُّeveryone مُؤتَمِرٍwho deliberates
اِعلَمي أَن كُلُّ مُؤتَمِرٍ
مُخطِئُerring فيin الرَأيِjudgment أَحياناsometimes
مُخطِئُ في الرَأيِ أَحيانا
Know that everyone who deliberates
Know that every counselor
sometimes errs in judgment.
Erroneous in views at times
فَإِذاand when ماan emphatic particle لَمdid not يُصِبattain رُشداًright judgment
فَإِذا ما لَم يُصِب رُشداً
كانَwas بَعضُsome اللَومِreproach ثُنياناa repetition
كانَ بَعضُ اللَومِ ثُنيانا
And when he fails to find the right course,
When missing wisdom utterly
some reproach is merely repetition.
Accepting some blame refines
Sol 6.1