إِنَّindeed اللتَينthe two women whom لَقيتَyou met يَومَon the day of سُوَيقَةٍSuwayqah
إِنَّ اللتَين لَقيتَ يَومَ سُوَيقَةٍ
لَوif تَلمَعانِthey both beckon بِعاقِلِto a crag-dweller among الأَوعالِthe ibex
لَو تَلمَعانِ بِعاقِلِ الأَوعالِ
Indeed, the two women you met on the day of Suwayqah—
were they to beckon to a crag-dwelling ibex,
لاختارَhe would surely choose سَهلَlevel ground لحُزنِinstead of the ruggedness of مَكانِهِhis dwelling
لاختارَ سَهلَ لحُزنِ مَكانِهِ
وَلَظَلَand he would keep يَطمَعُhoping مِنهُماfrom the two of them بِوصالِfor union
وَلَظَلَ يَطمَعُ مِنهُما بِوصالِ
he would choose level ground over his rugged haunt,
and keep hoping for union with them,
أَذَناًlistening attentively لِصَوتِهِماto their voices يُنازِعُstruggling with نَفسَهُhis own soul
أَذَناً لِصَوتِهِما يُنازِعُ نَفسَهُ
تَنأَىwithdraws بِهِwith him وَيهُمُّand he intends بالإِقبالِto approach
تَنأَى بِهِ وَيهُمُّ بالإِقبالِ
all ears for their voices, wrestling with his soul,
which draws him away, while he is minded to approach—
سَيّارَتانِtwo frequent travellers إِذاwhenever البروقُthe lightning flashes دَعَتهُماsummon them both
سَيّارَتانِ إِذا البروقُ دَعَتهُما
حَلالتانtwo who often camp بِهَذهِbeside these الأَميالِwaymarks
حَلالتان بِهَذهِ الأَميالِ
are wanderers whenever the lightning summons them,
often camping beside these waymarks.
تعدانِthey both promise مَوعِدَةًa promise وَفيماand in what قالتاthey both said
تعدانِ مَوعِدَةً وَفيما قالتا
خُلفٌbreach of promise وَتُمسِكand you cling مِنهُماfrom the two of them بِحِبالِto cords
خُلفٌ وَتُمسِك مِنهُما بِحِبالِ
They make a promise, yet in what they have said
is broken faith, and you cling to their cords.
وَالبُخلُand stinginess خَيرٌis better مِنthan عَطاءa gift رائِثٍlong delayed
وَالبُخلُ خَيرٌ مِن عَطاء رائِثٍ
يأتيكَcomes to you بَعدَafter تَبرّضٍcoaxing out small gifts وَسؤالِand begging
يأتيكَ بَعدَ تَبرّضٍ وَسؤالِ
And stinginess is better than a long-delayed gift
that comes to you after wheedling and begging.
Sol 6.1