خَليلَيَّmy two friends ماwhat بالُthe matter with المَطاياthe mounts كَأَنَّماas though
خَليلَيَّ ما بالُ المَطايا كَأَنَّما
نَراهاwe see them عَلىtoward الأَدبارِthe rear بِالقَومِwith the riders تَنكِصُthey retreat
نَراها عَلى الأَدبارِ بِالقَومِ تَنكِصُ
My two friends, what ails the mounts? It is as though
My friend, why do the riding camels seem as though
We see them retreating backward with the riders.
We see them with the people turning back in retreat
وَقَدand already قُطِعَتhave been strained to breaking أَعناقُهُنَّtheir necks صَبابَةًout of yearning
وَقَد قُطِعَت أَعناقُهُنَّ صَبابَةً
فَأَنفُسَناso our souls مِمّاfrom what يُلاقينَthey endure شُخصُtransfixed
فَأَنفُسَنا مِمّا يُلاقينَ شُخصُ
And yearning has strained their necks to breaking,
While their necks have been severed with swords
So our souls are transfixed by what they endure.
And we fear what they will encounter
وَقَدand already أَتعَبَhas wearied الحاديthe camel-driver سُراهُنَّtheir night journey وَاِنتَحىand turned toward
وَقَد أَتعَبَ الحادي سُراهُنَّ وَاِنتَحى
لَهُنَّtoward them فَماso not يَألوhe spares effort عَجولٌhurrying مُقَلِّصُpressing onward
لَهُنَّ فَما يَألو عَجولٌ مُقَلِّصُ
And their night journey has wearied the camel-driver, yet he turns
The guide has exhausted them with his traveling, yet urges them on
To them; he spares no effort, hurrying and pressing onward.
But the frightened young camels only quicken their pace
يَزِدنَthey increase بِناcarrying us قُرباًnearness فَيَزدادُso increases شَوقُناour yearning
يَزِدنَ بِنا قُرباً فَيَزدادُ شَوقُنا
إِذاwhen زادَincreases طولُthe length العَهدِthe time since last meeting وَالبُعدُand the distance يَنقُصُdiminishes
إِذا زادَ طولُ العَهدِ وَالبُعدُ يَنقُصُ
They bring us ever nearer, and our yearning grows
They bring us closer, so our longing increases
As the time since our last meeting lengthens and the distance dwindles.
When the length of separation grows, and distance diminishes
Sol 6.1