إنّindeed أسيافَthe swords الوَغىbattle لوif نَطَقَتْthey spoke
إنّ أسيافَ الوَغى لو نَطَقَتْ
لشكتْthey would surely lament منover فقْدِthe loss of قَوميmy people مُشتَكىa lament
لشكتْ من فقْدِ قَومي مُشتَكى
Indeed, if the swords of battle could speak,
If the swords of turmoil could speak
They would utter a lament over the loss of my people.
They would complain of missing my people's lament
ياO بنيsons of سعدِSaʿd بنِson of غيثِGhayth بنِson of رَدَىRadā
يا بني سعدِ بنِ غيثِ بنِ رَدَى
شَرِبَdrank الموتُDeath بكمthrough you ماwhat سَفَكاit shed
شَرِبَ الموتُ بكم ما سَفَكا
O sons of Saʿd, son of Ghayth, son of Radā,
O sons of Saad son of Ghaith son of Rada'
Through you, Death drank what it had shed,
Death has drunk you like spilled blood
وغَداand it became بعدَكمafter you مُرتَهَناًheld captive
وغَدا بعدَكم مُرتَهَناً
بثمادٍto scant water لاnot يَبُلُّmoistens الحَنَكاthe palate
بثمادٍ لا يَبُلُّ الحَنَكا
And after you, it became captive
And after you the morn is mortgaged
To scant water that does not moisten the palate.
To fruits that do not ripen on branches
أيُّwhat قومٍa people فيin الثّرىthe dust عِزُّهُمُtheir glory
أيُّ قومٍ في الثّرى عِزُّهُمُ
هَتَكَtore through الشّمْسَthe sun وجازَand passed beyond الفَلَكاthe celestial sphere
هَتَكَ الشّمْسَ وجازَ الفَلَكا
What a people lie in the dust! Their glory
What people in the soil whose honor
Tore through the sun and passed beyond the firmament.
The sun exposed and crossed the orbit
نَظَرَgazed الدّهْرُTime عليهِمupon them نظرةًa glance
نَظَرَ الدّهْرُ عليهِم نظرةً
جُنَّit went mad مِنْهاfrom it فَرِحاًwith joy ثمَّthen بَكىit wept
جُنَّ مِنْها فَرِحاً ثمَّ بَكى
Time cast a glance upon them,
Time looked upon them with a look
At which it went mad with joy, then wept.
That made it happy then made it cry
Sol 6.1