وَكانَتand there were لِعَباسٍfor Abbas ثَلاثٌthree things نَعدُّهاwe count them
وَكانَت لِعَباسٍ ثَلاثٌ نَعدُّها
إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جنابthe grounds of الحيِّthe tribe أَصبَحَbecame أَشهباashen-gray
إِذا ما جناب الحيِّ أَصبَحَ أَشهبا
And Abbas had three things we count,
Abbas had three swift mounts, which we number,
whenever the tribe’s grounds turned ashen:
That face dawn with a coat the hue of ember.
فسلسلةٌthen a chain تنهىrestrains الظَلومَthe oppressor وَجفنَةٌand a large bowl
فسلسلةٌ تنهى الظَلومَ وَجفنَةٌ
تُباحُis made freely available فَيَكسوهاthen he covers it with السِنامَthe camel’s hump المزغَّباdown-covered
تُباحُ فَيَكسوها السِنامَ المزغَّبا
a chain that restrains the oppressor, and a bowl
A chain-link bridle checks their headlong pace,
open to all, which he tops with a camel’s downy hump;
A saddle-cloth they wear in battle’s clamor.
وَحلةُand a robe عَصبٍof striped cloth ماnot تَزالُceases to be مُعدّةًkept ready
وَحلةُ عَصبٍ ما تَزالُ مُعدّةً
لعارٍfor a naked man ضَريكٍdestitute ثَوبُهُhis garment قَدalready تَهبَّباhas become tattered
لعارٍ ضَريكٍ ثَوبُهُ قَد تَهبَّبا
and a robe of striped cloth, always kept ready
And a third, a steed unbridled, ready stands
for a naked pauper whose garment has become tattered.
His rider’s raiment ripped by sword and lance.
Sol 6.1