وإذاand when مَرَرْتَyou pass علىby الدّيارِthe dwellings فَقِفْthen stop بِهاat them
وإذا مَرَرْتَ على الدّيارِ فَقِفْ بِها
واسأَلْand ask مَعَالِمَهاtheir traces بدمعٍwith tears سَائِلِflowing
واسأَلْ مَعَالِمَها بدمعٍ سَائِلِ
And when you pass the dwellings, stop there,
And when you pass the dwellings, stop there,
and question their traces with flowing tears:
and question their traces with flowing tears:
ماwhat ظنُّهاtheir opinion بِطَعينِof one pierced أغْصانِboughs of النّقاthe sand dune
ما ظنُّها بِطَعينِ أغْصانِ النّقا
مَاسَتْthey swayed مُنَصَّلَةًfitted with points بأسهُمِwith arrows of بَابِلِBabylon
مَاسَتْ مُنَصَّلَةً بأسهُمِ بَابِلِ
What can they tell of one pierced by the branches of the dune—
What do they think of one pierced by the sand dune’s boughs,
branches that swayed, tipped with Babylon’s arrows?
which swayed, tipped with Babylon’s arrows?
هَدرَdeclared forfeit الهوَىLove دَمَهُhis blood لأنَّbecause لِحاظَهُhis glances
هَدرَ الهوَى دَمَهُ لأنَّ لِحاظَهُ
أرْدَتْهُthey slew him أمor أَفتىissued a ruling بقَتْلfor the killing of القَاتِلِthe killer
أرْدَتْهُ أم أَفتى بقَتْل القَاتِلِ
Did Love declare his blood forfeit because her glances
Did Love declare his blood forfeit because his glances
had slain him—or did it decree the slayer’s death?
slew him, or did it decree the killer’s death?
Sol 6.1