كَأَنّيas though I مُوفٍon the brink لِلهَلاكِof death عَشِيَّةًone evening
كَأَنّي مُوفٍ لِلهَلاكِ عَشِيَّةً
بِأَسفَلِat the lower reaches of ذاتِDhāt القِشعِal-Qishʿ مُنتَظِرَawaiting القَطرِthe rain
بِأَسفَلِ ذاتِ القِشعِ مُنتَظِرَ القَطرِ
As though I were on the brink of death one evening,
at the lower reaches of Dhāt al-Qishʿ, awaiting rain,
وَأِنتُنَّand you women تَلبِسنَwear الجَديدَةَthe new clothes بِعدَماafter
وَأِنتُنَّ تَلبِسنَ الجَديدَةَ بِعدَما
طُرِدتُI was driven out بِطَيِّwith the folding of الوَطبِthe milk-skin فيin البُلقِal-Bulq وَالقَفرِand the wilderness
طُرِدتُ بِطَيِّ الوَطبِ في البُلقِ وَالقَفرِ
while you women wear new clothes, after
I was driven out, the milk-skin folded, into al-Bulq and the wilderness.
كَأِنَّas though الَّذيwhat قُلتُنَّyou women said أَعدِدprepare بِضاعَةًwares
كَأِنَّ الَّذي قُلتُنَّ أَعدِد بِضاعَةً
لِتَأخُذَso that you may take بَيضاءَa white-skinned woman التَرائِبِthe breastbones وَالنَحرِand the throat
لِتَأخُذَ بَيضاءَ التَرائِبِ وَالنَحرِ
As though you had said: 'Prepare wares,
to take a woman white of upper breast and throat,
كَأَنَّas though سُموطَstrings الدُرِّpearls مِنهاof hers مُعَلَّقٌhung
كَأَنَّ سُموطَ الدُرِّ مِنها مُعَلَّقٌ
بِجَيداءَon a long-necked gazelle فيamong ضالٍwild lote-trees بِوَجرَةَat Wajrah أَوor سِدرِlote-trees
بِجَيداءَ في ضالٍ بِوَجرَةَ أَو سِدرِ
as though her strings of pearls were hung
on a long-necked gazelle among wild lote-trees at Wajrah, or lote-trees.
تَكونshe will be بَلاغاًsufficient provision ثُمَّthen لَستُI am not بِمُخبِرٍone who tells
تَكون بَلاغاً ثُمَّ لَستُ بِمُخبِرٍ
إِذاif وَدِيَتshe wished ليfor me ماwhat وَديتُنَّyou women wished ماwhat أَمريmy state
إِذا وَدِيَت لي ما وَديتُنَّ ما أَمري
She will suffice.' Then I cannot tell,
if she wishes for me what you wished, what my fate will be.
Sol 6.1