أَياO هِندُHind لاdo not تَنكِحيmarry بَوهَةَa foolish weakling
أَيا هِندُ لا تَنكِحي بَوهَةَ
عَلَيهِupon him عَقيقَتُهُhis birth-hair أَحسَباreddish-blond
عَلَيهِ عَقيقَتُهُ أَحسَبا
O Hind, do not marry a foolish weakling,
O Hind do not marry an idiot
His birth-hair still upon him, reddish-blond.
On his nape still soft hair grows
مُرَسَّعَةٌa talisman بَينَbetween أَرساغِهِhis wrists
مُرَسَّعَةٌ بَينَ أَرساغِهِ
بِهِin him عَسَمٌstiff, twisted joints يَبتَغيhe seeks أَرنَباa hare
بِهِ عَسَمٌ يَبتَغي أَرنَبا
A talisman hangs between his wrists;
His legs splay outwards when he walks
His joints are stiff and twisted; he seeks a hare
Seeking with glee a running hare
لِيَجعَلَso he may place فيin رِجلِهِhis leg كَعبَهاits ankle-bone
لِيَجعَلَ في رِجلِهِ كَعبَها
حِذارَfor fear of المَنِيَّةِdeath أَنlest يُعطَباhe be destroyed
حِذارَ المَنِيَّةِ أَن يُعطَبا
To place its ankle-bone on his leg,
To place his ankles in its stead
For fear of death, lest he perish.
Beware or else get injured
وَلَستُand I am not بِخُذرافَةٍa babbler فيin قُعودِsitting
وَلَستُ بِخُذرافَةٍ في قُعودِ
وَلَستُand I am not بِطَيّاخَةٍa useless fool أَخدَباtall and ungainly
وَلَستُ بِطَيّاخَةٍ أَخدَبا
And I am no babbler when seated,
I’m no coward to just sit around
Nor a hulking, useless fool;
Nor a show-off acting proud
وَلَستُand I am not بِذيone with رَثيَةٍrheumatic joint pain إِمَّرٍweak-willed
وَلَستُ بِذي رَثيَةٍ إِمَّرٍ
إِذاwhen قيدَhe is led مُستَكرَهاًagainst his will أَصحَباhe submits
إِذا قيدَ مُستَكرَهاً أَصحَبا
Nor a weak-willed man with aching joints,
I'm not a sniveling weakling
Who submits when led against his will.
Who'd befriend just anyone
وَقالَتand she said بِنَفسيmy life as ransom شَبابٌyouth لَهُbelonging to him
وَقالَت بِنَفسي شَبابٌ لَهُ
وَلِمَّتُهُand his locks قَبلَbefore أَنthat يَشجُباhe perishes
وَلِمَّتُهُ قَبلَ أَن يَشجُبا
And she said, 'My life for his youth
My youth proclaimed I’m still in my prime
And his locks, before he perishes,
Before old age makes me decline
وَإِذand while هِيَit (his hair) سَوداءُblack مِثلُlike الفُحَيمِcharcoal
وَإِذ هِيَ سَوداءُ مِثلُ الفُحَيمِ
تَغَشّىcovers المَطانِبَthe sides of the neck وَالمَنكِباand the shoulder
تَغَشّى المَطانِبَ وَالمَنكِبا
And while they are black as charcoal,
And though she’s dark as darkest night
Veiling the sides of his neck and his shoulder!'
Blanketing hips and shoulders alike
Sol 6.1