ألاAh! حيّgreet ليfor me منof; from ليلةthe night القبرthe grave إنهindeed, it
ألا حيّ لي من ليلة القبر إنه
مآبa place of return وإنand even if أكرهتُهI loathe it أناآيبهI shall return to it
مآب وإن أكرهتُه أناآيبه
Ah, greet for me the night of the grave: it is
Alas, spare me the night of the grave, for it
a place of return; though I loathe it, I shall return to it.
Is an inescapable destination, though I dread it
وتاركand leaving خوKhaww يَنسجweaves الريحُthe wind متنَهُits surface
وتارك خو يَنسج الريحُ متنَهُ
إذاwhen اطردتrun on قريانُهits watercourses ومذانبُهand its smaller channels
إذا اطردت قريانُه ومذانبُه
And I shall leave Khaww, whose surface the wind weaves,
A bare and desolate place where the wind weaves
when its watercourses and smaller channels run on.
Its emptiness when friends and loved ones have left it
إذاًthen إفامَتْlingered (probable reading) فيهin it الجنوبthe south wind كأنماas though
إذاً إفامَتْ فيه الجنوب كأنما
يدقpounds بهin it قِرفَbark القَرَتفُلclove (probable reading) ناجبُهits bark-stripper
يدق به قِرفَ القَرَتفُل ناجبُه
Then the south wind lingers there, as though
There the south winds moan as if
its bark-stripper were pounding clove bark there,
Beating it with branches of camphor trees
إذاwhen نورتbloomed غَراؤهits open ground (uncertain reading) ودماثهand its soft lowlands
إذا نورت غَراؤه ودماثه
وزِينand was adorned بقُلحwith blossoms (probable reading) الأيهُقانthe wild rocket أخاشبُهits rugged heights
وزِين بقُلح الأيهُقان أخاشبُه
when its open ground and soft lowlands bloom,
When its darkness and gloom are lit up
and its rugged heights are adorned with wild-rocket blossoms.
And adorned with the beauty of orchids and wild flowers
كأنas though بهin it عَيراًa caravan منof المسكmusk حلَهاunloaded it
كأن به عَيراً من المسك حلَها
دهَاقينlandowners ملكa king تجتنيcollect; harvest ومرازِبُهand his frontier governors
دهَاقين ملك تجتني ومرازِبُه
As though a caravan of musk had been unloaded there
As if a caravan of musk had lodged there
by a king’s landowners, collecting it, and his frontier governors.
Guarded by angels who preserve and protect it
وتاركand leaving ريعانthe prime of الشبابyouth لأهلهto its rightful possessor
وتارك ريعان الشباب لأهله
تروحcome at evening لهto him أصحابهhis male companions وصواحبهand his female companions
تروح له أصحابه وصواحبه
And I shall leave youth’s prime to its rightful possessor,
And the bloom of youth is left behind for others
whose companions, men and women, come to him at evening.
As companions and friends depart from it
Sol 6.1