أَلاAh! لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge ماwhat تَقولُwill say مُجاشِعٌMujāshiʿ
أَلا لَيتَ شِعري ما تَقولُ مُجاشِعٌ
إِذاwhen قالَsays راعيherdsman النيبِthe old she-camels أَودىhas perished الفَرَزدَقُAl-Farazdaq
إِذا قالَ راعي النيبِ أَودى الفَرَزدَقُ
Ah, would that I knew what Mujāshiʿ will say
Alas, I wonder what the lover will say
When the herdsman of the old she-camels says, “Al-Farazdaq has perished.”
When the shepherd of An-Nabi is lost, Al-Farazdaq
أَلَمdid … not? أَكُI was أَكفيهاmeet her needs وَأَحميand I protect ذِمارَهاher honor
أَلَم أَكُ أَكفيها وَأَحمي ذِمارَها
وَأَبلُغُand I reach أَقصىthe farthest ماthat which بِهِto it مُتَعَلَّقُa hold
وَأَبلُغُ أَقصى ما بِهِ مُتَعَلَّقُ
Did I not meet her needs and protect her honor,
Did I not protect her and guard her family line
And reach the farthest point to which one can cling?
And attain the utmost that one attached to her could attain?
وَإِنّيand indeed I لَمِمّاindeed often أورِدُI drive الخَصمَthe adversary جَهدَهُhis limit of endurance
وَإِنّي لَمِمّا أورِدُ الخَصمَ جَهدَهُ
إِذاwhen لَمnot يَكُنthere is إِلّاexcept الشَجىa choking obstruction وَالمُخَنَّقُand strangulation
إِذا لَم يَكُن إِلّا الشَجى وَالمُخَنَّقُ
And indeed I often drive the adversary to the limit of his endurance,
Yet I am of those who exhaust the opponent
When there is nothing but a choking obstruction and strangulation.
When there is nothing left but grief and strangulation
Sol 6.1