لَمّاwhen أَناخواthey made kneel قُبَيلَjust before الصُبحِdawn عيسَهُمtheir pale camels
لَمّا أَناخوا قُبَيلَ الصُبحِ عيسَهُم
وَثَوَّروهاand they roused them فَثارَتso they rose بِالهَوىwith love الإِبِلُthe camels
وَثَوَّروها فَثارَت بِالهَوى الإِبِلُ
When they made their pale camels kneel just before dawn,
When they halted just before dawn broke their camels,
And roused them, the camels rose, carrying my love.
And stirred them up, the camels rose into the air eagerly.
وَأَبرَزَتand she revealed مِنfrom خِلالِthe gaps of السَجفِthe curtain ناظِرَهاher eye
وَأَبرَزَت مِن خِلالِ السَجفِ ناظِرَها
تَرنوshe gazes إِلَيَّat me وَدَمعُand tears of العَينِthe eye يَنهَمِلُstream down
تَرنو إِلَيَّ وَدَمعُ العَينِ يَنهَمِلُ
And she revealed her eye through the curtain,
She peeked out from inside the litter with her eyes that glanced at me longingly,
Gazing at me as tears streamed from her eye.
As tears flowed and dripped from her eyes.
وَوَدَّعَتand she bade farewell بِبَنانٍwith fingertips خِلتُهُI took it to be عَنَماًʿanam (a red-hued plant)
وَوَدَّعَت بِبَنانٍ خِلتُهُ عَنَماً
فَقُلتُso I said لاmay … not حَمَلَتcarry رِجلاكَyour two legs ياO جَمَلُcamel
فَقُلتُ لا حَمَلَت رِجلاكَ يا جَمَلُ
And she waved farewell with fingertips I took for ʿanam.
She bade farewell with fingers whose parting agonized me,
So I said, “May your legs never carry you, O camel!”
So I said, “May your feet never carry you, O camel!"
وَيليwoe to me مِنَbecause of البَينِparting ماذاwhat حَلَّbefell بيupon me وَبِهاand upon her
وَيلي مِنَ البَينِ ماذا حَلَّ بي وَبِها
مِنof نازِحِfar-off الوَجدِlove’s anguish حَلَّcame البَينُparting فَاِرتَحَلواso they departed
مِن نازِحِ الوَجدِ حَلَّ البَينُ فَاِرتَحَلوا
Woe is me for parting! What has befallen me and her—
Woe to me for the separation! What has happened to me and her
Such far-reaching anguish! Parting came, and they departed.
Of the anguish of love when the camel-men departed?
ياO حادِيَdriver of العيسِthe pale camels عَرِّجturn aside كَيso that أُوَدِّعَهاI may bid her farewell
يا حادِيَ العيسِ عَرِّج كَي أُوَدِّعَها
ياO حادِيَdriver of العيسِthe pale camels فيin تِرحالِكَyour departure الأَجَلُthe hour of death
يا حادِيَ العيسِ في تِرحالِكَ الأَجَلُ
O driver of the pale camels, turn aside so I may bid her farewell.
O guide of the camel train, loop around so I can bid her farewell,
O driver of the pale camels, in your departure lies death.
O guide of the camel train, though the time of your travel has come!
إِنّيindeed I عَلىupon العَهدِthe pledge لَمhave not أَنقُضrenounced مَوَدَّتَهُمaffection for them
إِنّي عَلى العَهدِ لَم أَنقُض مَوَدَّتَهُم
ياoh لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge بِطولِwith the length of العَهدِthe time apart ماwhat فَعَلواthey did
يا لَيتَ شِعري بِطولِ العَهدِ ما فَعَلوا
I remain true to the pledge; I have not renounced my love for them.
I have not broken my vow of love for them,
Oh, would that I knew, after so long, how they have fared!
If only I knew, for the long duration of that vow, what they have done!
Sol 6.1