أَلاAh! ماwhat لِرَسمِwith the trace of الدارthe dwelling لاnot يَتَكَلَّمُit speaks
أَلا ما لِرَسمِ الدار لا يَتَكَلَّمُ
وَقَدand indeed عاجَturned aside أَصحابيmy companions عَلَيهِtoward it فَسَلَّمواso they offered greetings
وَقَد عاجَ أَصحابي عَلَيهِ فَسَلَّموا
Ah, why does the trace of the dwelling not speak,
Alas, why does the outline of the abode not speak
though my companions turned aside to it and offered greetings?
When my companions have bidden it farewell?
بِأَخزَمَat Akhzam أَوor بِالمُنحَنىat the bend مِنin سوَيقَةٍSuwayqah
بِأَخزَمَ أَو بِالمُنحَنى مِن سوَيقَةٍ
أَلاAh! رُبَّماhow often أَهدىbestowed لَكَon you الشَوقَlonging أَخزَمُAkhzam
أَلا رُبَّما أَهدى لَكَ الشَوقَ أَخزَمُ
At Akhzam, or at the bend in Suwayqah—
By Akhzam or the curved part of Suwayqah,
Ah, how often Akhzam has brought you longing!
Alas, sometimes yearning makes Akhzam greet you.
وَغَيَّرَهاand altered it العَصرانِday and night حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّهاas though it were
وَغَيَّرَها العَصرانِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها
عَلىwith قِدَمِthe antiquity of الأَيّامِthe days بُردٌa cloak مُسَهَّمُarrow-patterned
عَلى قِدَمِ الأَيّامِ بُردٌ مُسَهَّمُ
And day and night have altered it, until it resembles—
Time has changed it until it seems
after the long passage of days—an arrow-patterned cloak.
Like a worn-out mantle from days gone by.
Sol 6.1