وَعاشيَةٍand an evening-grazing herd راحَتreturned in the evening بِطاناًfull-bellied ذَعَرتُهاI startled it
وَعاشيَةٍ راحَت بِطاناً ذَعَرتُها
بِسَوطِwith a whip قَتيلٍof a slain man وَسطُهاin its midst يَتَسَيَّفُwields a sword
بِسَوطِ قَتيلٍ وَسطُها يَتَسَيَّفُ
And an evening-grazing herd, returning full-bellied, I startled
And one evening it strayed, frightened,
with the whip of a slain man who wielded a sword among them.
By the whip of a slain man in its midst brandishing his sword
كَأَنَّas though عَلَيهِupon him لَونَthe color بُردٍof a mantle مُحَبَّرٍrichly patterned
كَأَنَّ عَلَيهِ لَونَ بُردٍ مُحَبَّرٍ
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَتاهُcame upon him صارِمٌa keen blade يَتَلَهَّفُyearns eagerly
إِذا ما أَتاهُ صارِمٌ يَتَلَهَّفُ
As though he wore the colors of a richly patterned mantle,
As if he were wearing a red striped garment
when a keen, eager blade came upon him.
Whenever a fierce one comes rushing eagerly towards him
فَباتَso spent the night لَهُbelonging to him أَهلٌa family خَلاءٌempty فِناؤُهُمtheir courtyard
فَباتَ لَهُ أَهلٌ خَلاءٌ فِناؤُهُم
وَمَرَّتand passed بِهِمby them طَيرٌbirds فَلَمyet did not يَتَعَيَّفواread omens from birds
وَمَرَّت بِهِم طَيرٌ فَلَم يَتَعَيَّفوا
So his family spent the night with their courtyard deserted.
So he spent the night with an empty family in their yard
And birds passed by them, yet they read no omens.
And birds passed by them but they did not flap their wings
وَباتواand they spent the night يَظُنُّونَmaking conjectures الظُنونَconjectures وَصُحبَتيwhile my companions
وَباتوا يَظُنُّونَ الظُنونَ وَصُحبَتي
إِذاwhenever ماemphatic particle عَلَواthey climbed نَشزاًa rise أَهَلّواthey shouted وَأَوجَفواand sped onward
إِذا ما عَلَوا نَشزاً أَهَلّوا وَأَوجَفوا
And they spent the night making conjectures, while my companions,
And they spent the night imagining speculations while my company
whenever they climbed a rise, shouted and sped onward.
When they ascend, they neigh, prance and kick up dust
وَماand not نِلتُهاI gained it حَتّىuntil تَصَعلَكتُI lived as a vagabond حِقبَةًa period of time
وَما نِلتُها حَتّى تَصَعلَكتُ حِقبَةً
وَكِدتُand I almost لأَِسبابِto the ways المَنيَّةِof death أُعرَفُbecame known
وَكِدتُ لأَِسبابِ المَنيَّةِ أُعرَفُ
And I did not gain it until I had lived as a vagabond for a time,
And I did not attain her until an era maliciously deceived me
and nearly became known to the ways of death,
And I almost got to know the causes of death more intimately
وَحَتّىand until رَأَيتُI saw الجُوعَhunger بِالصَيفِin summer ضَرَّنيharmed me
وَحَتّى رَأَيتُ الجُوعَ بِالصَيفِ ضَرَّني
إِذاwhen قُمتُI stood up تَغشانيenvelop me ظِلالٌshadows فَأُسدِفُso I enter darkness
إِذا قُمتُ تَغشاني ظِلالٌ فَأُسدِفُ
and until I saw how hunger in summer had harmed me:
Until I saw hunger in summer afflict me
when I stood, shadows enveloped me, and I was plunged into darkness.
When I stand up, shadows overwhelm me and I kindle
Sol 6.1