حَلَفتُI swore بربّby the Lord of الراقصاتِthe dancing she-camels عشيةًat dusk
حَلَفتُ بربّ الراقصاتِ عشيةً
وحيثُand where تُناخُare made to kneel البُدنthe sacrificial camels دافَعَهاrestrained them العَقلthe hobbles
وحيثُ تُناخُ البُدن دافَعَها العَقل
I swore by the Lord of the she-camels dancing at dusk,
I swore by the Lord of the dancing girls one evening,
and where the sacrificial camels are made to kneel, their hobbles restraining them:
Where the bodies swayed, their minds subdued,
لئنif indeed فاتنيrobbed me ريبُmisfortunes الزمانِof time بمالكٍof Malik
لئن فاتني ريبُ الزمانِ بمالكٍ
وقدand already كملتreached perfection فيهin him المروءةmanly virtue والعَقلُand sound judgment
وقد كملت فيه المروءة والعَقلُ
if time's misfortunes have indeed robbed me of Malik,
That if the turn of time cheated me of Mālik,
with manly virtue and sound judgment perfected in him,
Though I was complete in manliness and mind,
ففاتَthen he was lost ولوand had قيلbeen proposed الفداءransom فديتُهُI would have ransomed him
ففاتَ ولو قيل الفداء فديتُهُ
وماand not عزَّwas too dear مالٌwealth عنfor فداهhis ransom ولاnor أهلkin
وما عزَّ مالٌ عن فداه ولا أهل
then he is gone; had ransom been proposed, I would have ransomed him.
I would ransom him, though to ransom were to lose all-
And neither wealth nor kin would have been too dear to ransom him.
Wealth is no substitute for ransoming one held dear.
لَنِعمَtruly excellent مُناخُa resting place for الضيفِthe guest انif جاءhe came طارقاًas a night visitor
لَنِعمَ مُناخُ الضيفِ ان جاء طارقاً
اذاwhen أخمَدquenched النيرانthe fires اوor حاردَwithheld its yield المَحلdrought
اذا أخمَد النيران او حاردَ المَحل
What a fine resting place for a guest, should he arrive by night,
How good a resting place is the guest's if he arrives by night
when fires are quenched or drought withholds its yield!
When the fires are dead, the tents folded!
ونِعمَand excellent محلٌّa dwelling for الجارthe neighbor حلَّsettled بأهلِهِwith his family
ونِعمَ محلٌّ الجار حلَّ بأهلِهِ
اذاwhen ماemphatic particle بداbecame visible كعبthe ankle of المصونةthe sheltered woman والحجلand the anklet
اذا ما بدا كعب المصونة والحجل
And what a fine dwelling for the neighbor who settles with his family,
How good a neighbor's camp if he halts with his family
when the sheltered woman's ankle and anklet are exposed!
When the anklets of the secluded women jingle!
ونعمand excellent اخوa brother to العانيthe captive اذاwhen القيدُthe fetter عَضَّهُbit him
ونعم اخو العاني اذا القيدُ عَضَّهُ
واسرعand swiftly ravaged فيupon ضاحيthe bare surface of سواعدهhis forearms الغُلُّthe neck-shackle
واسرع في ضاحي سواعده الغُلُّ
And what a fine brother to the captive when the fetter bites him,
How excellent a brother in time of need when shackles
and the neck-shackle swiftly ravages his bare forearms!
Chafe his legs and urgently he yearns for freedom!
حَييٌmodest بَذِيُّsharp-tongued أيwhichever ذاكof those التمستَهُyou sought him to be
حَييٌ بَذِيُّ أي ذاك التمستَهُ
وذوand one with لبدٍa mane شَثنٍrough براثنُهُhis paws عَبلpowerfully built
وذو لبدٍ شَثنٍ براثنُهُ عَبل
Modest, yet sharp-tongued—whichever you sought him to be—
Living he sought me out, that estimable man,
and a maned lion, rough-pawed and powerfully built.
His knees exposed by his slit robe.
وانand if جاءَcame طاريa traveler الليلof the night يخبطgroping his way طارقاًas a night caller
وان جاءَ طاري الليل يخبط طارقاً
تَهلَّلَّhe beamed معروفٌwell known خلائقهُhis character traits جَزلُgenerous
تَهلَّلَّ معروفٌ خلائقهُ جَزلُ
And if a night traveler came groping his way to call,
When a night visitor comes knocking at the tents,
he would beam, a man of known virtues and abundant generosity.
Good deeds, like heavy rains, come down in floods.
خوa man of ثقةٍtrustworthiness لاnot يعتريbefalls الذمّblame نارهhis fire
خو ثقةٍ لا يعتري الذمّ ناره
اذاwhen لمnot يكنthere was فيamong القومthe people شربٌdrink ولاَnor أكلُfood
اذا لم يكن في القوم شربٌ ولاَ أكلُ
A man of trust, whose fire is untouched by blame,
A brother you can trust will kindle no slander‐
when the people have neither drink nor food.
Not where the men are noble, caring, and sober.
Sol 6.1