أَلا إِنَّ سَلمى اليَومَ جَذَّت قُوى الحَبلِ

أَلا إِنَّ سَلمى اليَومَ جَذَّت قُوى الحَبلِ

وَأَرضَت بِنا الأَعداءَ مِن غَيرِ ما دَخلِ

وَأَرضَت بِنا الأَعداءَ مِن غَيرِ ما دَخلِ

Lo—today Salma has severed the rope’s strands.

Behold, Salma today has severed the rope's strands,

She has pleased our enemies at our expense, though there was no fault.

and pleased our enemies at our expense, through no fault of ours.

كأَن لَم تُجاوِرنا بأكنافِ مَثعَرٍ

كأَن لَم تُجاوِرنا بأكنافِ مَثعَرٍ

وَأَخزَمَ أَو خَيفِ الحُمَيراءِ ذي النَخلِ

وَأَخزَمَ أَو خَيفِ الحُمَيراءِ ذي النَخلِ

As though she had never dwelt beside us around Mathʿar,

As though she had never lived beside us around Mathʿar

nor at Akhzam, nor at palm-rich Khayf al-Humayra.

and Akhzam, or Khayf al-Humayra, with its palm trees.

فَإِن تَبكِها يَوماً تَبكِ بَعَولَهٍ

فَإِن تَبكِها يَوماً تَبكِ بَعَولَهٍ

عَلى لُطُفٍ في جَنَبِ سَلمى وَلا بَذلِ

عَلى لُطُفٍ في جَنَبِ سَلمى وَلا بَذلِ

If one day you weep for her, you will weep with loud lament,

So if you weep for her one day, you weep with a wail,

over kindness where Salma is concerned—but no generosity.

for kindness on Salma's part, but no generosity.

سِوى أَن رأَينَ الشَيبَ أَبيَضَ واضِحاً

سِوى أَن رأَينَ الشَيبَ أَبيَضَ واضِحاً

كَأَنَّ الَّذي بي لَم يَنَل أَحَداً قَبلي

كَأَنَّ الَّذي بي لَم يَنَل أَحَداً قَبلي

Save that they saw the gray hair, white and unmistakable,

Except that they saw the gray hair, white and conspicuous,

as though what afflicts me had never touched anyone before me.

as though what afflicted me had touched no one before me.