أَلاAh! لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge هَلwhether أَرانيI see myself ساحِباًtrailing
أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل أَراني ساحِباً
ذُيوليmy robe’s skirts أَصيلاًin late afternoon فيin رِياضِgardens of طَثيثاṬathīthā
ذُيولي أَصيلاً في رِياضِ طَثيثا
Ah, would that I knew: shall I see myself trailing
Alas, would that I knew if I shall see myself
My robe’s skirts through the gardens of Ṭathīthā in late afternoon?
Dragging my skirts studiously in the gardens of Tathith
وَهَلand whether أَعلُوَنI shall indeed ascend ذاكَthat اليَفاعَthe high ground ضُحَيَّةًat midmorning
وَهَل أَعلُوَن ذاكَ اليَفاعَ ضُحَيَّةً
وَقَدwhile already هَبَّbegan to blow مُعتَلُّlanguid النَسيمِthe breeze وَعيثاsoftly
وَقَد هَبَّ مُعتَلُّ النَسيمِ وَعيثا
And shall I indeed ascend that high ground at midmorning,
And if I shall ascend that towering height, a willing victim,
While the languid breeze has begun to blow softly?
When the errant wind blows fiercely
وَهَلand whether يَنقَعَنwill indeed be quenched مِنهُfrom it صَدايَmy thirst بِشُربَةٍwith a draught
وَهَل يَنقَعَن مِنهُ صَدايَ بِشُربَةٍ
يَعودُbecomes again بِهاthrough it العَهدُthe days القَديمُold حَديثاnew
يَعودُ بِها العَهدُ القَديمُ حَديثا
And shall my thirst indeed be quenched by a draught from it,
And drink from it a draught
Through which the old days become new again?
That makes the olden bond fresh again
إِذاwhen ماemphasis particle ثُغورُmouths of الأُقحُوانِthe chrysanthemums تَبَسَّمَتsmiled
إِذا ما ثُغورُ الأُقحُوانِ تَبَسَّمَت
فَأَضحىand so became بِهاthrough them وَعرُrough terrain of الزَمانِtime دَميثاsmooth
فَأَضحى بِها وَعرُ الزَمانِ دَميثا
When the chrysanthemums’ mouths smile,
As the smiles of maidens blossom
And through them time’s rough terrain grows smooth,
And the cheeks of time blush red
أَجَبتُI answered دَواعيcalls of الشَوقِlonging بِالسَوقِby driving onward مُعمِلاًundertaking
أَجَبتُ دَواعي الشَوقِ بِالسَوقِ مُعمِلاً
إِلَيكُمtoward you (plural) مَسيراًa journey بِالنِياقِon the she-camels حَثيثاswift
إِلَيكُم مَسيراً بِالنِياقِ حَثيثا
I answer longing’s calls by driving onward, undertaking
I answered the yearnings of passion by journeying to you eagerly,
A swift journey toward you on she-camels.
Spurring my camel insistently
إِذاif ماemphasis particle اِمرُؤٌa man رَثَّتgrew frayed حِبالُcords of عُهودِهِhis pledges
إِذا ما اِمرُؤٌ رَثَّت حِبالُ عُهودِهِ
فَحاشَthen far be it لِعَهديfrom my pledge أَنto يَكونَbecome رَثيثاthreadbare
فَحاشَ لِعَهدي أَن يَكونَ رَثيثا
If the cords of a man’s pledges grow frayed,
If the ropes of a man’s pledges grow slack
Then far be it from my pledge to become threadbare.
My pledge is too proud to be slack
Sol 6.1