وَلَقَدْand indeed رَكبتI rode منَamong الحميرِthe donkeys مكمّداًdispiriting
وَلَقَدْ رَكبت منَ الحميرِ مكمّداً
مَكراًcunning بطيّاَslow للحرانِto balking مصاحباa companion
مَكراً بطيّاَ للحرانِ مصاحبا
And indeed, I rode a dispiriting donkey,
I rode the donkey though it pained me sore
cunning and slow, a companion to balking.
This stubborn beast that trudges evermore
رِجلايَmy two legs فيagainst جَنْبَيْهِhis two flanks منذُsince رَكبتُهُI mounted him
رِجلايَ في جَنْبَيْهِ منذُ رَكبتُهُ
لَنْwill not يَفْتَراboth flag فَغَدَوتُso I became أمشيI walk راكباriding
لَنْ يَفْتَرا فَغَدَوتُ أمشي راكبا
My legs, against his flanks since I mounted him,
My legs tucked by its sides since first I mounted
will not flag; so I came to walk while riding.
I'll walk not ride this ass another day
عَجبتُI marveled وشانand the nature الحبlove غيرnot عجبِa marvel
عَجبتُ وشان الحب غير عجبِ
إذاwhen ماتَdies بالأشواقِfrom longing كلُّevery غريبِexile
إذا ماتَ بالأشواقِ كلُّ غريبِ
I marveled, though love's nature is no marvel,
Love's wonderous ways confound me even more
when every exile dies of longing.
All exiles die from yearning I would say
تَباعَدتِhave grown apart الأجسامَthe bodies مناof ours وإنَسناand our fellowship
تَباعَدتِ الأجسامَ منا وإنَسنا
لناfor us جامعٌa uniting bond منْof رَويةٍreflection وقلوبِand hearts
لنا جامعٌ منْ رَويةٍ وقلوبِ
Our bodies have grown far apart, yet our fellowship
Though bodies separate, souls together stay
binds us through reflection and hearts.
In glances and in hearts we're tucked away
لَناfor us كلevery يومِday منزلٌa dwelling تُربةُsoil النوىseparation
لَنا كل يومِ منزلٌ تُربةُ النوى
وَقُربand nearness خَليلٍa close friend وَهْوَwhile he غيرُnot قريَبِnear
وَقُرب خَليلٍ وَهْوَ غيرُ قريَبِ
Each day our dwelling is the soil of separation,
Daily, soil where tents were pitched we lay
and a friend's nearness, though he is not near.
Beside a friend though he's now far away
أُفارقُI part from خلاًa close friend بعدَafter خلٍّa close friend كأنّنيas though I
أُفارقُ خلاً بعدَ خلٍّ كأنّني
أُفارقُI part from نجليmy son أَوor أَخيmy brother وَنَسيبيand my kinsman
أُفارقُ نجلي أَو أَخي وَنَسيبي
I part from friend after friend, as though I
I leave an empty camp, it hurts like parting
were parting from my son, or my brother and my kinsman.
From brother, son - kin of blood and heart
كأنيَas though I منfrom كلِّevery البلادِthe lands فَمَدْمَعيso my tears
كأنيَ من كلِّ البلادِ فَمَدْمَعي
علَىfor كلevery بادٍnomad أَوor فراقِparting from حبيبa beloved
علَى كل بادٍ أَو فراقِ حبيب
As though I were from every land, my tears
My teardrops fall, from every land departing
flow for every nomad, or a beloved's departure.
As if I'd lost a lover, home, and start
علىyet أَنّنيthat I لولاwere it not for اغترابيmy exile لمdid not أَطبْthrive
على أَنّني لولا اغترابي لم أَطبْ
وماand not عاقلٌa wise man فيin بَلدةٍa town بغريبِa stranger
وما عاقلٌ في بَلدةٍ بغريبِ
Yet, were it not for my exile, I would not have thrived,
But for this exile, I'd have missed life's art
and no wise man is a stranger in any town.
No wise man thrives at home - unlike his counterpart
Sol 6.1