آلَيتُ لا أَمشي إِلى رَبِّ لِقحَةٍ

آلَيتُ لا أَمشي إِلى رَبِّ لِقحَةٍ

أُساوِمُهُ حَتّى يَؤوبَ المُثَلَّمُ

أُساوِمُهُ حَتّى يَؤوبَ المُثَلَّمُ

I swore I would not go to the owner of a milch she-camel,

I swore not to walk to the owner of a milk-giving she-camel,

to bargain with him until the Maimed One returned.

to bargain with him, until al-Muthallam returns.

وَقالوا لَهُ حَمراءُ كَوماءُ جَلدَةٌ

وَقالوا لَهُ حَمراءُ كَوماءُ جَلدَةٌ

وَراخوا لَهُ في السَومِ وَالقَتلُ يُكتَمُ

وَراخوا لَهُ في السَومِ وَالقَتلُ يُكتَمُ

They told him, “She is red, high-humped, and hardy,”

And they said to him, “A red, large-humped, sturdy she-camel,”

and went easy on him in the bargaining, while the killing was kept hidden.

and were lenient with him in bargaining, while the killing was concealed.

فَأَصبَحَ قَد عُمّي عَلى الناسِ أَمرُهُ

فَأَصبَحَ قَد عُمّي عَلى الناسِ أَمرُهُ

وَقَد باتَ يَجري فَوقَ أَثوابِهِ الدَمُ

وَقَد باتَ يَجري فَوقَ أَثوابِهِ الدَمُ

By morning, his affair had become obscure to the people,

So by morning, his fate had been obscured from the people,

though blood had run all night over his garments.

while blood had flowed over his garments through the night.

وَقَد كانَ عَمّا كانَ عَنهُ بِمَعزِلٍ

وَقَد كانَ عَمّا كانَ عَنهُ بِمَعزِلٍ

وَلَكِنَّ رَيبَ الدَهرِ بِالناسِ مُغرَمُ

وَلَكِنَّ رَيبَ الدَهرِ بِالناسِ مُغرَمُ

He had been unaware of what had befallen him,

And he had been far removed from what had happened,

yet Time’s caprice is enamored of mankind.

but the misfortunes of time are enamored of mankind.