بِأَيِّwith what manner of فَتىًyoung man ياO اِبنَيtwo sons of حَبيبٍHabib بَللتُماyou two have encountered
بِأَيِّ فَتىً يا اِبنَي حَبيبٍ بَللتُما
إِذاwhen ثارَrises يَوماًone day لِلغُبارِof dust عَمودُa column
إِذا ثارَ يَوماً لِلغُبارِ عَمودُ
What a youth you have come up against, O two sons of Habib,
when one day a column of dust rises!
بِمُنخَرِقِwith a tattered السِّربالِtunic كَالسيدِlike a wolf لاnot يَنيhe flags
بِمُنخَرِقِ السِّربالِ كَالسيدِ لا يَني
يقادُhe is led لِحَربٍto war أَوor تَراهُyou see him يَقودُhe leads
يقادُ لِحَربٍ أَو تَراهُ يَقودُ
One in a tattered tunic, wolf-like, who never flags,
whether led to war or seen leading.
أَقَلَّhave they grown scarce? بَنوthe sons of الإِنسانِman حَتّىthat عَدَوتُمُyou attacked
أَقَلَّ بَنو الإِنسانِ حَتّى عَدَوتُمُ
عَلىagainst مَنone who يُثيرُrouses الجِنَّthe jinn وَهيَwhile they are هجودُasleep
عَلى مَن يُثيرُ الجِنَّ وَهيَ هجودُ
Have the sons of men grown so few that you attacked
one who rouses the jinn while they sleep?
فَلَولاbut were it not for رِجالٌmen ياO مَنيعُMani‘ رَأَيتُهُمI have found them
فَلَولا رِجالٌ يا مَنيعُ رَأَيتُهُم
لَهُمthey have خُلقٌcharacter عِندَin matters of الجوارِneighborly relations حَميدُpraiseworthy
لَهُم خُلقٌ عِندَ الجوارِ حَميدُ
But for men, O Mani‘, whom I have found
to be of praiseworthy character in neighborly dealings,
لَنالَكُمُwould surely have reached you مِنّيfrom me نِكالٌexemplary punishment وَغارَةٌand a raid
لَنالَكُمُ مِنّي نِكالٌ وَغارَةٌ
لَهاit has ذَنَبٌa tail لَمnot تدرِكوهُyou overtook it بَعيدُfar-reaching
لَها ذَنَبٌ لَم تدرِكوهُ بَعيدُ
punishment and a raid from me would have befallen you—
with a far-reaching tail you could not overtake.
أَياO أَبرَقَيtwo rocky tracts of مَغنىthe dwelling of بُثَينَةَButhayna أَسعداyou two, aid
أَيا أَبرَقَي مَغنى بُثَينَةَ أَسعدا
فَتىًa youth مُقصَداًstruck down بِالشَوقِby longing فَهوَfor he is عَميدُlovesick
فَتىً مُقصَداً بِالشَوقِ فَهوَ عَميدُ
O two rocky tracts of Buthayna's dwelling, aid
a youth struck down by longing, for he is lovesick.
وَقَدand indeed كانَthere were فيin مَغنىthe dwelling of بُثَينَةَButhayna لَوif بَدَتshe appeared
وَقَد كانَ في مَغنى بُثَينَةَ لَو بَدَت
عُيونُeyes مَهاًoryxes تَبدوappear لَناto us وَخُدودُand cheeks
عُيونُ مَهاً تَبدو لَنا وَخُدودُ
And once, in Buthayna's dwelling, if she appeared,
oryx eyes and cheeks would show themselves to us,
لَيالِيَnights when مِنّاamong us زائِرٌa visitor مُتَهالِكٌpassionately devoted
لَيالِيَ مِنّا زائِرٌ مُتَهالِكٌ
وَآخَرُand another مَشهورٌwell known فَفيهِso in him is صُدودُaloofness
وَآخَرُ مَشهورٌ فَفيهِ صُدودُ
on nights when one of us came visiting, consumed with love,
while another, well known, kept aloof,
عَلىdespite أَنَّهُhis being مهدِيa sender of السَلامgreetings وَزائِرand a visitor
عَلى أَنَّهُ مهدِي السَلام وَزائِر
إِذاwhen لَمnot يَكُنthere were مِمَّنamong those whom يَخافُhe fears شُهودُwitnesses
إِذا لَم يَكُن مِمَّن يَخافُ شُهودُ
though he sent greetings and paid visits
when no witnesses he feared were present.
Sol 6.1