صباحكِa happy morning to you واسْلميand be well عناfrom us أُماماUmama
صباحكِ واسْلمي عنا أُماما
تحيّةَa greeting وامِقٍof a lover وعِمِيand may you fare well ظَلاماat night
تحيّةَ وامِقٍ وعِمِي ظَلاما
A happy morning to you, and our wishes for your well-being, Umama—
Good morning to you, convey greetings from us openly,
A lover's greeting—and may your night be happy.
A greeting of a steadfast lover and a blind obsession,
بَرَهْرَهَةٌa fair, soft-fleshed woman يحارُis bewildered الطَّرفthe gaze فيهاby her
بَرَهْرَهَةٌ يحارُ الطَّرف فيها
كَحُقَّةِlike a casket تاجِرٍof a merchant شُدَّتْwas tightly fastened خِتاماwith a seal
كَحُقَّةِ تاجِرٍ شُدَّتْ خِتاما
A fair, soft-fleshed woman who bewilders the gaze,
Dazzling confusion that makes the eyes wander,
Like a merchant's casket, securely sealed.
Like a merchant's seal pulled tight.
فإِنْso if تُمْسِshe spends the evening ابْنَةُthe daughter السَّهْمِيِّof al-Sahmi منّاfrom us
فإِنْ تُمْسِ ابْنَةُ السَّهْمِيِّ منّا
بَعيداًfar away لاتُكَلِّمناshe does not speak to us كَلاماa word
بَعيداً لاتُكَلِّمنا كَلاما
So if the daughter of al-Sahmi spends her evening away from us,
If the daughter of Sahmi ignores us,
Far off, not speaking a word to us,
Stay far, do not speak to us at all,
فَإنَّكthen surely you لاِno مَحالةَescape أنْthat تَرَيْنيyou will see me
فَإنَّك لاِ مَحالةَ أنْ تَرَيْني
ولوand even if أَمْستْhave become حِبالُكُمyour cords رِماماrotten remnants
ولو أَمْستْ حِبالُكُم رِماما
Then you will surely see me,
For surely you will see me again,
Even if your cords have rotted away,
Even if your ropes are worn out.
بناجِيَةon a swift she-camel اِلقوائمِof limb عَيْسَجورٍsturdy and powerful
بناجِيَة اِلقوائمِ عَيْسَجورٍ
تَدَارَكَhas accumulated نِيُّهاher fat عاماًa year فعاماthen another year
تَدَارَكَ نِيُّها عاماً فعاما
On a swift-footed, sturdy she-camel,
A yearning lover at Al-Quwaim's tent,
Whose fat has built up year after year.
His passion makes up for a year after a year,
سلِيask عنِّىabout me إذاwhen اغْبرَّتْturned dust-gray جُمادىJumada
سلِي عنِّى إذا اغْبرَّتْ جُمادى
وكانand was طعامُthe food ضيِفهِمof their guest الثِّماماthumam grass
وكان طعامُ ضيِفهِم الثِّماما
Ask about me when Jumada turns dust-gray,
Ask about me when Jumada is covered in dust,
And their guest's food is thumam grass.
And their guest's food is bran.
ألسناare we not عِصْمَةَthe refuge الأضيافof the guests حتىuntil
ألسنا عِصْمَةَ الأضياف حتى
يُضَحَّىis fed in the morning مالُهمْtheir livestock نَفَلاًclover تُواماgrowing in pairs
يُضَحَّى مالُهمْ نَفَلاً تُواما
Are we not the guests' refuge, until
Are we not the protection of guests until
Their herds are fed in the morning on clover growing in pairs?
Their money is sacrificed freely as donations?
أبيmy father ربَعَtook a quarter-share from الفوارِسَthe horsemen يومَon the day داجٍof Daj
أبي ربَعَ الفوارِسَ يومَ داجٍ
وعمِّيand my paternal uncle مالِكٌMalik وضعassigned السِّهاماthe shares
وعمِّي مالِكٌ وضع السِّهاما
My father took a quarter of the horsemen's spoils on the day of Daj,
My father the chief of horsemen on a gloomy day,
And my uncle Malik assigned the shares.
And my uncle Malik who aims the arrows.
فلوso if صَاحَبْتنِاyou kept our company لَرَضِيتِyou would surely be pleased مِنَّاwith us
فلو صَاحَبْتنِا لَرَضِيتِ مِنَّا
إذاwhen لمْdid not تغبِقِgive evening milk to المائةُthe hundred camels الغلاماthe boy
إذا لمْ تغبِقِ المائةُ الغلاما
So, had you kept our company, you would have been pleased with us,
If you befriend us, you will be pleased with us,
When a hundred camels could not give a boy his evening milk.
When the youth does not surpass a hundred.
Sol 6.1