أياO أمmother of عمروAmr لمwhy قَعدتِdid you sit معwith الذيthe one who
أيا أم عمرو لم قَعدتِ مع الذي
وشslandered (uncertain spelling) بيabout me فقدfor indeed أخبرتI have been told منof ذَروِa little ذلكthat
وش بي فقد أخبرت من ذَروِ ذلك
Ah, Umm ʿAmr, why did you sit beside the man
O Umm Amr, why did you sit with the one
who informed against me? I have been told who incited you to that.
who [slandered] me? For I have been told a little of that.
وياand O أمmother of عمروAmr قومكyour people اليومtoday قدindeed جَنَواhave reaped
ويا أم عمرو قومك اليوم قد جَنَوا
حروباwars وقوميand my people قدindeed جنواhave reaped مثلthe like of ذالكthat
حروبا وقومي قد جنوا مثل ذالك
And, Umm ʿAmr, today your people have brought on
And O Umm Amr, your people today have reaped
wars, and my people have brought on the like of that.
wars, and my people have reaped the same.
أياO أمmother of عمروAmr إنif سكتُّI fall silent عَرَفتهاyou recognize it
أيا أم عمرو إن سكتُّ عَرَفتها
وانand if قلتِyou say بَيِّنexplain قلتI say سُرعَhow swift انفتالكyour turning away
وان قلتِ بَيِّن قلت سُرعَ انفتالك
Ah, Umm ʿAmr, if I kept silent, you would know it;
O Umm Amr, if I fall silent, you recognize it;
and if you said, “Explain,” I would say, “How swiftly you turn away!”
and if you say, “Explain,” I say, “How swift your turning away!”
أياO أمmother of عمروAmr كيفhow يفرحrejoices ذوone possessed of الهوىlove
أيا أم عمرو كيف يفرح ذو الهوى
بلقيانكمat meeting you all والموتand death عندat زيالكyour departure
بلقيانكم والموت عند زيالك
Ah, Umm ʿAmr, how can a lover rejoice
O Umm Amr, how can a lover rejoice
at meeting you, when death awaits at your departure?
at meeting you all, when death lies in your departure?
وددتI wished عدويmy enemy ياO مُنَىdesires of النفسthe soul أنهthat he
وددت عدوي يا مُنَى النفس أنه
بهin him مثلthe same as ماwhat بيin me منfrom زوالthe vanishing of دياركyour dwellings
به مثل ما بي من زوال ديارك
I wished that my enemy, O heart’s desire, might suffer
I wish, O my soul’s desire, that my enemy
the same as I suffer when your encampments vanish.
bore what I bear from the vanishing of your dwellings.
تمنيننيyou give me hopes حتىuntil إذاwhen ماemphatic particle قتلتنيyou have killed me
تمنينني حتى إذا ما قتلتني
بحسنwith the beauty of المنىhopes أعييتنيyou wearied me باعتلالكwith your excuses
بحسن المنى أعييتني باعتلالك
You fed me hopes until, when at last you had slain me
You give me hopes until, once you have slain me
with fair hopes, you wore me out with your excuses.
with lovely hopes, you weary me with your excuses.
لوif انthat سوادَthe dark core of القلبthe heart ينطقspeaks لاشتكىwould complain
لو ان سوادَ القلب ينطق لاشتكى
إليكto you سوادُthe dark core of القلبthe heart قلthe scantness of نوالِكِyour favors
إليك سوادُ القلب قل نوالِكِ
If the heart’s dark core could speak, it would complain
If the heart’s dark core could speak, it would complain—
to you—the heart’s dark core—that your giving is scant.
the heart’s dark core—to you of your scant favors.
Sol 6.1