بَكَرَcame early العاذِلاتُthe reproaching women فيهاconcerning her صِراحاopenly
بَكَرَ العاذِلاتُ فيها صِراحا
بِسَوادٍin darkness وَماand did not اِنتَظَرنَthey waited صَباحاdawn
بِسَوادٍ وَما اِنتَظَرنَ صَباحا
The reproaching women came early, outspoken about her,
The virgins wept bitterly throughout the night
in darkness, not waiting for dawn.
In black, not expecting the dawn.
قُلنَthey said عَزَّconsole الفُؤادَthe heart عَنaway from أُمِّUmm (mother of) بَكرٍBakr
قُلنَ عَزَّ الفُؤادَ عَن أُمِّ بَكرٍ
بِعَزاءٍwith consolation قَدِindeed اِفتَضَحتَyou have been disgraced اِفتِضاحاutter disgrace
بِعَزاءٍ قَدِ اِفتَضَحتَ اِفتِضاحا
They said: Wean your heart from Umm Bakr
They said, "It is hard for the heart to be consoled
with solace; you have disgraced yourself utterly.
With consolation that has become a disgrace."
قُلتُI said ماnot حُبُّهاlove for her عَلَيَّfor me بِعارٍa disgrace
قُلتُ ما حُبُّها عَلَيَّ بِعارٍ
إِنif مُحِبٌّa lover يَوماًone day مِنَof الدَهرِtime باحاspoke openly
إِن مُحِبٌّ يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ باحا
I said: My love for her is no disgrace to me
I said, "My love for her is no shame to me.
if a lover should one day reveal his love.
For a lover one day may speak openly."
قَدindeed أَرىI see أَنَّكُنَّthat you women قُلتُنَّyou women spoke نُصحاًsincere counsel
قَد أَرى أَنَّكُنَّ قُلتُنَّ نُصحاً
وَاِجتَهَدتُنَّand you women did your utmost لَوif أُريدُI desire صَلاحاuprightness
وَاِجتَهَدتُنَّ لَو أُريدُ صَلاحا
I do see that you have offered sincere counsel,
"You have spoken sincerely," I told them.
and done your utmost—were I seeking to mend my ways.
"And tried hard, had I wanted to be set right."
لَوif دَويتُنَّyou women were ill مِثلَlike دائيmy illness عَذَرتُنyou women would have excused me (continued)
لَو دَويتُنَّ مِثلَ دائي عَذَرتُن
نَcompletion of the preceding feminine-plural verb وَلَكِنand yet رَأَيتُكُنَّI found you women صِحاحاhealthy
نَ وَلَكِن رَأَيتُكُنَّ صِحاحا
Had you suffered an illness like mine, you would have excused
"Had you felt my pain, you'd have excused me.
me; but I found you healthy.
But you saw me in good health."
أَوor تَحَبَّبنَshow affection (you women) لاdo not تَعُدنَyou women return فَإِنّيfor indeed I
أَو تَحَبَّبنَ لا تَعُدنَ فَإِنّي
قَدalready أَريتُI have shown الوُشاةَthe tale-bearers مِنّيfrom me اِطِّراحاdismissal
قَد أَريتُ الوُشاةَ مِنّي اِطِّراحا
Or show affection; do not return, for I
"Or if you had loved, do not repeat this.
have already shown the tale-bearers that I cast them aside.
For I have shown the slanderers away from me."
إِنَّهاindeed she كَالمَهاةِlike an oryx مُشبَعَةُsated; well-filled الخَلthe anklet (first part)
إِنَّها كَالمَهاةِ مُشبَعَةُ الخَل
خالِcompletion of “anklet” صِفرُempty الحَشاthe midriff تُجيعُshe starves الوِشاحاthe sash
خالِ صِفرُ الحَشا تُجيعُ الوِشاحا
Indeed, she is like an oryx, with a sated
"She is like a surfeited camel,
anklet, slender-waisted, starving her sash.
Her udder dry, causing the milkers' despair."
فيin مَحَلِّthe company of النِساءِwomen طَيِّبَةُsweet النَشthe fragrance (first part)
في مَحَلِّ النِساءِ طَيِّبَةُ النَش
رِcompletion of “fragrance” يُرىare seen عِندَهاbeside her الوِسامُthe beautiful قِباحاugly
رِ يُرى عِندَها الوِسامُ قِباحا
Among women, sweet is her
"In the women's abode, she makes virtue
fragrance; beside her, the beautiful seem ugly.
Appear ugly when one is with her."
لَمdid not تَزَلyou cease مِنfrom هَوىlove of قُرَيبَةَQurayba تَهوىyou love
لَم تَزَل مِن هَوى قُرَيبَةَ تَهوى
مَنwhoever يَليهاis near her حَتّىuntil هَوَيتَyou loved الرِياحاthe winds
مَن يَليها حَتّى هَوَيتَ الرِياحا
You never ceased, for love of Qurayba, to love
"She has not ceased from passionate love
whoever was near her, until you loved the winds.
For whoever is next to her, even unto the winds."
قَرَّبَتهُbrought him near المُقَرِّباتُthose who bring one near لِحينٍto doom
قَرَّبَتهُ المُقَرِّباتُ لِحينٍ
فَأَتىso he came to حَتفَهُhis death يَسيرُwalking كِفاحاًface-to-face
فَأَتى حَتفَهُ يَسيرُ كِفاحاً
Those who drew him near brought him toward his doom;
"The flatterers brought him close for a while.
so he came to his death, walking to meet it head-on.
Then he met his fate with little strife."
Sol 6.1