لَوif أَنَّthat المَناياthe fates of death حدنَturned aside عَنfrom ذيone possessing مَهابَةٍawe-inspiring dignity
لَو أَنَّ المَنايا حدنَ عَن ذي مَهابَةٍ
اَهبنَthey would have feared حُضيراًḤuḍayr يَومَthe day أَغلَقَhe closed واقماWāqim
اَهبنَ حُضيراً يَومَ أَغلَقَ واقما
If the fates of death turned aside from one held in awe,
If death had spared the valiant man
they would have feared Ḥuḍayr the day he closed Wāqim.
Who went out one fateful day
أَطافَcircled بِهِaround him حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اللَيلُthe night جَنَّهُenfolded him
أَطافَ بِهِ حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ جَنَّهُ
تَبوأَtook up residence مِنهُwithin him مَنزِلاًa dwelling مُتَناعِماenjoying ease
تَبوأَ مِنهُ مَنزِلاً مُتَناعِما
Death circled him until, when night enfolded him,
It circled him until night descended
it took a dwelling within him, enjoying ease.
And settled in a cozy place
وَأَودَينَand they brought death بِالرِحالِto the far-traveller عُروَةَ‘Urwa قَبلَهُbefore him
وَأَودَينَ بِالرِحالِ عُروَةَ قَبلَهُ
وَأَهلَكنَand they slew صَيّادَthe hunter الفَوارِسِof horsemen هاشِماHāshim
وَأَهلَكنَ صَيّادَ الفَوارِسِ هاشِما
And they had brought death to ‘Urwa the far-traveller before him,
With his belongings in his saddlebags
and slain the hunter of horsemen, Hāshim.
It destroyed the hunter of noble Hashim
وَهَوَّنَand eased وَجديmy grief أَنَّنيthat I لَمdid not أَكُنbe لَهُto him
وَهَوَّنَ وَجدي أَنَّني لَم أَكُن لَهُ
كَطَيرِlike a bird الشِمالِof the left يَنتفplucks الريشَthe feathers حاتماforetelling doom
كَطَيرِ الشِمالِ يَنتف الريشَ حاتما
And what eased my grief was that I had not been to him
And made my grief easier since I was not
like a bird of the left, plucking feathers and foretelling doom.
Like a northern bird plucking out feathers miserably
Sol 6.1