ياO طَلَلاًa ruined dwelling عِندَat الأَثيلِal-Athil دارِساweathered
يا طَلَلاً عِندَ الأَثيلِ دارِسا
لاعَبتُI played with فيهِin it خُرّداًbashful maidens أَوانِساfriendly
لاعَبتُ فيهِ خُرّداً أَوانِسا
O weathered ruin at al-Athil,
O ruins near the encampment where I played as a child,
There I played with bashful, friendly maidens.
A companionable place it was yesterday, laughing,
بِالأَمسِyesterday كانَit was مُؤنِساًwelcoming وَضاحِكاًand smiling
بِالأَمسِ كانَ مُؤنِساً وَضاحِكاً
وَاليَومَand today أَضحىit became موحِشاًdesolate وَعابِساand frowning
وَاليَومَ أَضحى موحِشاً وَعابِسا
Yesterday it was welcoming and smiling,
Today it has become desolate and frowning.
And today it has become desolate and frowning.
They moved away without my noticing, they did not know
نَأواthey went far away وَلَمand did not أَشعُرهُمُI inform them فَماso not دَرَواthey knew
نَأوا وَلَم أَشعُرهُمُ فَما دَرَوا
أَنَّthat عَلَيهِمover them مِنfrom ضَميريmy inner self حارِساa guardian
أَنَّ عَلَيهِم مِن ضَميري حارِسا
They went far away, and I did not inform them; so they did not know
That part of my conscience stands guard over them,
That over them was a guardian from my inner self,
Following them wherever they went and settled,
يَتبَعهُمُhe follows them حَيثُwherever نَأواthey went far away وَخَيَّمواand they encamped
يَتبَعهُمُ حَيثُ نَأوا وَخَيَّموا
وَقَدand perhaps يَكونُhe is لِلمَطاياfor the riding camels سائِساa groom
وَقَد يَكونُ لِلمَطايا سائِسا
Who followed them wherever they journeyed and encamped,
Perhaps being a leader for the camels.
And might serve as a groom for the riding camels.
Until when they camped in an arid, waterless desert,
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen حَلَّواthey alighted بِقَفرٍin a wilderness بَلقَعٍbare
حَتّى إِذا حَلَّوا بِقَفرٍ بَلقَعٍ
وَخَيَّمواand they encamped وَاِفتَرَشواand they spread out الطَنافِساthe carpets
وَخَيَّموا وَاِفتَرَشوا الطَنافِسا
Until, when they alighted in a bare wilderness,
Pitched tents and spread out the rugs,
And pitched their tents and spread out the carpets,
It turned with them to a fertile, verdant meadow,
عادَit became بِهِمthrough them رَوضاًa meadow أَغَنَّlush يانِعاًflourishing
عادَ بِهِم رَوضاً أَغَنَّ يانِعاً
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماthat قَدalready كانَit was قَفراًa wilderness يابِساdry
مِن بَعدِ ما قَد كانَ قَفراً يابِسا
Through them it became a lush, flourishing meadow,
After having been a barren desert.
After having been a dry wilderness.
Every campsite they stayed at was transformed
ماnever نَزَلواthey alighted مِنany مَنزِلٍa dwelling إِلّاexcept that حَوىit contained
ما نَزَلوا مِن مَنزِلٍ إِلّا حَوى
مِنof الحِسانِthe beauties رَوضَةًa garden طَواوِساpeacocks
مِن الحِسانِ رَوضَةً طَواوِسا
They never alighted in a dwelling but it held
Into a garden full of birds by their beauty.
A garden of beauties—peacocks.
Every place they moved away from was filled
وَلاand never نَأواthey went far away عَنfrom مَنزِلٍa dwelling إِلّاexcept that حَوىit contained
وَلا نَأوا عَن مَنزِلٍ إِلّا حَوى
مِنof عاشِقيهِمtheir lovers أَرضُهُits earth نَواوِساtombs
مِن عاشِقيهِم أَرضُهُ نَواوِسا
And never did they leave a dwelling but it held
With lovers pining for them, weeping.
In its earth the tombs of their lovers.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1