لمنِwhose الدِّيارُthe dwellings بِجانِبِbeside الحُبسِal-Hubs
لمنِ الدِّيارُ بِجانِبِ الحُبسِ
كَمَخَطّlike the writing of ذيone with الحاجاتِneeds بِالنِّقسِin ink
كَمَخَطّ ذي الحاجاتِ بِالنِّقسِ
Whose are the deserted dwellings beside al-Ḥubs,
Whose are the dwellings beside al-Hubs,
like the inked script of one setting down his needs?
Like the inked writing of a man with needs?
وَلَقَدand indeed نَظَرتُI looked إِلىat الحُمولِthe laden camels كأَنّهاas though they
وَلَقَد نَظَرتُ إِلى الحُمولِ كأَنّها
زُعرُsparse-fronded الأَشاءِyoung palms بِجانِبيon either side of حَرسِHars
زُعرُ الأَشاءِ بِجانِبي حَرسِ
Indeed, I gazed at the litter-bearing camels, as though they were
And indeed I looked at the laden camels, as though they were
sparse-crowned young palms on either side of Ḥaras.
Sparse-fronded young palms on either side of Hars.
لَيسَتshe is not إِذاwhen سَمِنتshe becomes plump بِجابئةٍrepellent
لَيسَت إِذا سَمِنت بِجابئةٍ
عَنهاfrom her العيونُthe eyes كَريهَةِunpleasant المَسِّtouch
عَنها العيونُ كَريهَةِ المَسِّ
When she grows fat, she is no creature from whom
When she grows plump, she does not repel
eyes recoil, nor is she hateful to the touch.
The eyes, nor is she unpleasant to touch;
مُستأثرٍhoarding بِاللَّحمِthe flesh كاهِلُهاher upper back
مُستأثرٍ بِاللَّحمِ كاهِلُها
وَقصاءَshort-necked منطَقُهاher girdle عَلىupon حِلسِa saddlecloth
وَقصاءَ منطَقُها عَلى حِلسِ
Her withers have claimed all the flesh for themselves,
Nor does her upper back hoard all her flesh,
and she is short-necked and compact, her girth over a saddlecloth.
Nor is she short-necked, her girdle over a saddlecloth.
وَكأَنَّماand as though كُسِيتwere clothed قَلائِدُهاher necklaces
وَكأَنَّما كُسِيت قَلائِدُها
وَحشيَةًa wild cow نَظَرَتshe looked إِلىtoward الإِنسِhumankind
وَحشيَةً نَظَرَت إِلى الإِنسِ
It is as though her necklaces had been draped upon
And it is as though her necklaces were draped
a wild doe that had caught sight of men.
Upon a wild cow gazing toward humankind.
أَماas for لَياليَthe nights كُنتُI was جارِيةًa young girl
أَما لَياليَ كُنتُ جارِيةً
فَحُفِفتُso I was surrounded بالرقباءِby watchers والجِلسِand companions
فَحُفِفتُ بالرقباءِ والجِلسِ
As for the nights when I was a maiden,
As for the nights when I was a young girl,
I was ringed round with watchers and seated attendants,
I was surrounded by watchers and companions.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle الخِدرُthe curtained chamber أَبرَزَنيbrought me forth
حَتّى إِذا ما الخِدرُ أَبرَزَني
نُبِذَwere driven off الرِّجالُthe men بِزَولَةٍby a shrewd woman جَلسِimposing
نُبِذَ الرِّجالُ بِزَولَةٍ جَلسِ
until, when the curtained chamber brought me into view,
Until, when the curtained chamber brought me forth,
the men were replaced by a forceful, full-built woman,
The men were driven off by a shrewd, imposing woman,
وَبِجارَةٍand by a female neighbor شَوهاءَugly تَرقُبنيwatching me
وَبِجارَةٍ شَوهاءَ تَرقُبني
وَحَماًand a male in-law يخِرُّfalls down كَمَنبِذِlike the casting aside of الحِلسِthe saddlecloth
وَحَماً يخِرُّ كَمَنبِذِ الحِلسِ
and by an ugly-faced neighbor woman watching me,
And by an ugly female neighbor keeping watch on me,
while my protected precinct collapsed like a cast-off saddlecloth.
And a male in-law dropping like a saddlecloth flung aside.
واللَّيلُand the night قَدalready ظَهَرَتhad appeared نَحيزَتُهُits dark band
واللَّيلُ قَد ظَهَرَت نَحيزَتُهُ
والشَّمسُand the sun فيin صَفراءَa yellow glow كَالورسِlike wars-dye
والشَّمسُ في صَفراءَ كَالورسِ
The farthest rim of night had already appeared,
And night's dark band had appeared,
and the sun was in a yellow glow like wars-dye.
And the sun was in a yellow glow like wars-dye.
Sol 6.1