غَداhe set out in the morning بَلrather راحَhe set out in the evening وَاطَّرَحَand cast aside الخُلاجاthe misgivings
غَدا بَل راحَ وَاطَّرَحَ الخُلاجا
وَلَمّاand not yet يَقضِfulfill مِنfrom أَسماءَAsma حاجاdesires
وَلَمّا يَقضِ مِن أَسماءَ حاجا
He set out in the morning—no, in the evening—and cast aside his misgivings,
Tomorrow came but left, and threw down his bed
And had not yet fulfilled his desires with Asma.
Before fulfilling any of his vows
وَكَيفَand how لِقاؤُهاmeeting her بِعُفارياتٍat Ufariyat
وَكَيفَ لِقاؤُها بِعُفارياتٍ
وَقَدand already قَطَعَتcrossed ظَعائِنُهاher women in litters النِباجاal-Nibaj
وَقَد قَطَعَت ظَعائِنُها النِباجا
And how could he meet her at Ufariyat,
How can I meet with her among the knolls
When her women in litters had already crossed al-Nibaj?
When her howling bitches have cut their leashes?
يَسوقُdrives onward بِهاwith them الحُداةُthe chanting camel-drivers مُشَرِّقاتٍheading east
يَسوقُ بِها الحُداةُ مُشَرِّقاتٍ
رَواحاًevening travel بِالتَنوفَةِthrough the trackless wilderness وادِّلاجاand predawn travel
رَواحاً بِالتَنوفَةِ وادِّلاجا
The chanting camel-drivers urge them eastward,
The matchmakers lead her on brilliantly
Traveling through the wilderness in the evening and before dawn,
Litters in procession, curtained and draped
عَلىon أَحداجِcamel litters مُكَرَمَةٍprized camels عَوافٍwell-fed
عَلى أَحداجِ مُكَرَمَةٍ عَوافٍ
تَرَبَّعَتِgrazed during spring اللَقيطَةَal-Laqita أَوor سُواجاSuwaj
تَرَبَّعَتِ اللَقيطَةَ أَو سُواجا
On litters borne by prized, well-fed camels
On the humps of honored untamed camels
That had grazed in spring at al-Laqita or Suwaj.
Whether mounted backward or sideways
Sol 6.1