وَمَرقَبَةٍand many a lookout دونَbelow السَماءِthe sky عَلَوتُهاI climbed it
وَمَرقَبَةٍ دونَ السَماءِ عَلَوتُها
أُقَلِّبُI turn about طَرفيmy gaze فيacross فَضاءِthe expanse of سَباسِبِopen plains
أُقَلِّبُ طَرفي في فَضاءِ سَباسِبِ
And many a lookout beneath the sky have I climbed,
turning my gaze across the expanse of open plains.
وَماand not أَناI بِالماشيone who walks إِلىto بَيتِthe house of جارَتيmy female neighbor
وَما أَنا بِالماشي إِلى بَيتِ جارَتي
طَروقاًvisiting by night أُحَيِّيهاI greet her كَآخَرَlike another جانِبِstranger
طَروقاً أُحَيِّيها كَآخَرَ جانِبِ
And I am not one to walk to my female neighbor's house
by night to greet her like some other stranger.
وَلَوand had شَهِدَتناshe witnessed us بِالمُزاحِat al-Muzāḥ لَأَيقَنَتshe would surely have known
وَلَو شَهِدَتنا بِالمُزاحِ لَأَيقَنَت
عَلىdespite ضُرَّناour hardship أَنّاthat we are كِرامُnoble الضَرائِبِinborn dispositions
عَلى ضُرَّنا أَنّا كِرامُ الضَرائِبِ
And had she witnessed us at al-Muzāḥ, she would have known for certain,
despite our hardship, that we are noble in character,
عَشِيَّةَon the evening قالَsaid اِبنُson of الذَئيمَةِal-Dhaʾīmah عارِقٌʿĀriq
عَشِيَّةَ قالَ اِبنُ الذَئيمَةِ عارِقٌ
إِخالُI think رَئيسَthe chief of القَومِthe people لَيسَis not بِآئِبِreturning
إِخالُ رَئيسَ القَومِ لَيسَ بِآئِبِ
on the evening when ʿĀriq, son of al-Dhaʾīmah, said:
"I think the people's chief will not return."
وَماand not أَناI بِالساعيone who hastens بِفَضلِwith the loose end of زِمامِهاher rein
وَما أَنا بِالساعي بِفَضلِ زِمامِها
لِتَشرَبَso that she may drink ماwhat فيin الحَوضِthe trough قَبلَbefore الرَكائِبِthe riding camels
لِتَشرَبَ ما في الحَوضِ قَبلَ الرَكائِبِ
And I am not one to hurry along with the loose end of her rein,
so she may drink what is in the trough before the riding camels.
فَماso not أَناI بِالطاويone who folds up حَقيبَةَthe pack of رَحلِهاher saddle
فَما أَنا بِالطاوي حَقيبَةَ رَحلِها
لِأَركَبَهاto ride her خِفّاًwithout a fellow rider وَأَترُكَand leave صاحِبيmy companion
لِأَركَبَها خِفّاً وَأَترُكَ صاحِبي
Nor am I one to fold up the pack behind her saddle,
to ride her alone and leave my companion behind.
إِذاif كُنتَyou are رَبّاًthe owner لِلقُلوصِof the young she-camel فَلاthen do not تَدَعleave
إِذا كُنتَ رَبّاً لِلقُلوصِ فَلا تَدَع
رَفيقَكَyour companion يَمشيwalks خَلفَهاbehind her غَيرَnot راكِبِriding
رَفيقَكَ يَمشي خَلفَها غَيرَ راكِبِ
If you are the owner of the young she-camel, do not leave
your companion walking behind her without riding.
أَنِخهاmake her kneel فَأَردِفهُthen seat him behind you فَإِنthen if حَمَلَتكُماshe carries you both
أَنِخها فَأَردِفهُ فَإِن حَمَلَتكُما
فَذاكَthen that is well وَإِنand if كانَthere is العِقابُtaking turns at riding فَعاقِبِthen take turns
فَذاكَ وَإِن كانَ العِقابُ فَعاقِبِ
Make her kneel, then seat him behind you; if she carries you both,
well and good; but if it comes to taking turns, then take turns.
وَلَستُand I am not إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle أَحدَثَbrings about الدَهرُtime نَكبَةًa calamity
وَلَستُ إِذا ما أَحدَثَ الدَهرُ نَكبَةً
بِأَخضَعَa cringing man وَلّاجٍconstantly entering بُيوتَthe homes of الأَقارِبِrelatives
بِأَخضَعَ وَلّاجٍ بُيوتَ الأَقارِبِ
And when time brings about a calamity, I am not
a cringing frequenter of relatives' homes.
إِذاwhen أَوطَنَsettle in القَومُthe people البُيوتَthe houses وَجَدتَهُمyou find them
إِذا أَوطَنَ القَومُ البُيوتَ وَجَدتَهُم
عُماةًblind عَنِto الأَخبارِthe news خُرقَinept at المَكاسِبِearning a living
عُماةً عَنِ الأَخبارِ خُرقَ المَكاسِبِ
When people settle in their houses, you find them
blind to the news and inept at earning a living.
وَشَرُّand the worst of الصَعاليكِpaupers الَّذيthe one whose هَمُّconcern نَفسِهِhis own self
وَشَرُّ الصَعاليكِ الَّذي هَمُّ نَفسِهِ
حَديثُconversation with الغَوانيbeautiful women وَاِتِّباعُand pursuing المَآرِبِdesires
حَديثُ الغَواني وَاِتِّباعُ المَآرِبِ
And the worst of paupers is he whose own concern
is conversation with beautiful women and the pursuit of desires.
Sol 6.1