سَلاهُask him, you two لِمَwhy اِستَبقىretained وِصالَintimacy with الكَواعِبِthe budding-breasted maidens
سَلاهُ لِمَ اِستَبقى وِصالَ الكَواعِبِ
وَقَدand already دَبَّcrept رَيعُthe first signs الشَيبِgray hair بَينَamong الذَوائِبِthe tresses
وَقَد دَبَّ رَيعُ الشَيبِ بَينَ الذَوائِبِ
Ask him, you two, why he has kept his intimacy with budding-breasted maidens,
Why does he persist in keeping the tryst with maidens fair
When the first signs of gray have already crept among his tresses.
When the first streaks of grey have crept into his hair?
بَدَتappeared شَيبَةٌa gray hair فيin رَأسِهِhis head فَكَأَنَّماso it was as though
بَدَت شَيبَةٌ في رَأسِهِ فَكَأَنَّما
بَدَتappeared لِحُلولِwith the arrival of الشَيبِgray hair إِحدىone of المَصائِبِthe calamities
بَدَت لِحُلولِ الشَيبِ إِحدى المَصائِبِ
A gray hair appeared on his head, as though
A single grey hair in his head has appeared, as though
One of the calamities had appeared with the coming of gray hair.
It were a calamity when grey hairs begin to spread there.
وَماand not ريعَwas alarmed حَتّىuntil لاحَappeared لِلشَيبِof gray hair عارِضٌa cloud
وَما ريعَ حَتّى لاحَ لِلشَيبِ عارِضٌ
عَلَيهِover him وَشامَتهُand gloated over him أَكُفُّpalms الخَواضِبِthe henna-stained women
عَلَيهِ وَشامَتهُ أَكُفُّ الخَواضِبِ
He was not alarmed until a cloud of gray appeared
Scarce had the greyness shone when for the grey reproach arose,
Over him, and the palms of henna-stained women gloated over him.
And joy for him in its advent had the revilers who slight him.
وَماand not عَدِمَlost السُلوانَsolace حَتّىuntil تَعَرَّضَتappeared
وَما عَدِمَ السُلوانَ حَتّى تَعَرَّضَت
لِعَينَيهِbefore his eyes إِحدىone of المُبرِقاتِthe dazzling women الخَوالِبِthe beguiling ones
لِعَينَيهِ إِحدى المُبرِقاتِ الخَوالِبِ
Nor did he lose his solace until there appeared
Scarce had his smooth cheek failed him before there flashed
Before his eyes one of those dazzling, beguiling women.
Into his eyes one of the glances that waver and excite.
قِفاstop, you two نُلبِسlet us clothe الأَطلالَthe ruins مِنّاfrom us نَجِيَّةًa whispered confidence
قِفا نُلبِس الأَطلالَ مِنّا نَجِيَّةً
وَنُؤذِنand let us announce بِتَسليمٍwith a greeting وَإِنand even if لَمnot نُجاوِبِexchange replies
وَنُؤذِن بِتَسليمٍ وَإِن لَم نُجاوِبِ
Stop, you two; let us clothe the ruins in our whispered confidences,
Let us clothe the vestiges of him with a parting gift from us,
And offer a greeting, even if we exchange no replies.
And give news of a surrender, though no pact binds him.
إِذاwhen عَرَّسَhalted for rest الرُكبانُthe riders غِبَّafter سُراهُمُtheir night journey
إِذا عَرَّسَ الرُكبانُ غِبَّ سُراهُمُ
رَمَتناcast us بِهاthere أُمُّthe mother of النَجاswift travel وَالسَباسِبِand the desert wastes
رَمَتنا بِها أُمُّ النَجا وَالسَباسِبِ
When the riders halted to rest after their night journey,
When the travellers break camp there pelts them with stones
The mother of swift travel and desert wastes cast us there.
Umm al-Najm wa al-Subab from her place of pride.
هَوىًa love كانَwas ميعادَthe tryst of الصَفاءِpure affection تَقاذَفَتflung far away
هَوىً كانَ ميعادَ الصَفاءِ تَقاذَفَت
بِهِwith it عَنaway from هَواناour love نِيَّةٌan intended destination لَمdid not تُقارِبِdraw near
بِهِ عَن هَوانا نِيَّةٌ لَم تُقارِبِ
A love that was the tryst of pure affection was flung
A tryst was the time of clarity, but from that madness of ours
Away from our love by a destination that lay far off.
A purpose turned aside not to be won over.
فَتىًa young man فيin يَدَيهِhis two hands لِلثَراءِof wealth بَقِيَّةٌa remnant
فَتىً في يَدَيهِ لِلثَراءِ بَقِيَّةٌ
تَعَرَّفُهاseek it out الآمالُhopes عَنfrom كُلِّevery جانِبِside
تَعَرَّفُها الآمالُ عَن كُلِّ جانِبِ
A young man with a remnant of wealth in his hands,
A youth in whose hands for wealth there remains an opening known
Which hopes seek out from every side.
To aspirations from every side.
Sol 6.1