لَعَمريby my life لَقَدindeed رَدَّreduced الزَمانُtime وَرَيبُهُand its vicissitudes
لَعَمري لَقَد رَدَّ الزَمانُ وَرَيبُهُ
نَفيسَةَNafisa مِنfrom مُلكٍroyal power إِلىto شَرِّthe worst مَقعَدِseat
نَفيسَةَ مِن مُلكٍ إِلى شَرِّ مَقعَدِ
By my life, time and its vicissitudes have indeed reduced
By my life, time and its vicissitudes
Nafisa from royal power to the worst of seats,
Have brought down Nufaysa from kingdom to the worst abode,
سَبِيَّةَa captive woman قَومٍa people لَوif دَعَتshe called لَأَجابَهاwould have answered her
سَبِيَّةَ قَومٍ لَو دَعَت لَأَجابَها
بَناsons of الحَربِwar ضَرّابوsmiters of يَدَيthe two hands of كُلَّevery أَصيَدِhaughty lord
بَنا الحَربِ ضَرّابو يَدَي كُلَّ أَصيَدِ
A captive woman whose people, had she called, would have answered her—
A captive of a people who, had she called them, would have answered her,
Sons of war, smiters of both hands of every haughty lord.
Men of war, strikers with every hand.
وَلَوand if لَمnot يَمُتdie آلُthe family of المُهَلَّبِal-Muhallab لَمnot تَكُنyou would be
وَلَو لَم يَمُت آلُ المُهَلَّبِ لَم تَكُن
تَناوَلُهاtouching her بِالرِجلِwith the foot مِنكَof yours وَلاnor اليَدِthe hand
تَناوَلُها بِالرِجلِ مِنكَ وَلا اليَدِ
And had the house of al-Muhallab not perished, you would not be
Had not the Al of Muhalhil perished,
Touching her with your foot, nor with your hand.
She would not have been handled by you, neither by hand nor foot.
تَنَحَّwithdraw أَهانَmay dishonor اللَهُGod مَثواكَyour abode خاسِئاًin disgrace
تَنَحَّ أَهانَ اللَهُ مَثواكَ خاسِئاً
عَنِfrom اِسمِthe name of نَبِيِّthe Prophet of المُسلِمينَthe Muslims مُحَمَّدِMuhammad
عَنِ اِسمِ نَبِيِّ المُسلِمينَ مُحَمَّدِ
Withdraw—may God dishonor your abode—in disgrace,
May God abase your dwelling! You have turned away
From the name of the Muslims’ Prophet, Muhammad.
From the name of Muhammad, prophet of the Muslims.
Sol 6.1