أَلاAh! لَيتَwould that شِعريmy knowledge وَالخُطوبُand calamities كَثيرَةٌmany
أَلا لَيتَ شِعري وَالخُطوبُ كَثيرَةٌ
مَتىwhen رَحلُthe saddle of قَيسٍQays مُستَقِلٌّsetting forth فَراجِعُthen returning
مَتى رَحلُ قَيسٍ مُستَقِلٌّ فَراجِعُ
Ah, would that I knew—and calamities are many—
Alas! Would that I knew, with troubles so rife
When Qays’s saddle will set forth and then return.
When will depart Qais, independent, returning,
بِنَفسِيَwith my life مَنone who لاnot يَستَقِلُّcan stand بِنَفسِهِon his own
بِنَفسِيَ مَن لا يَستَقِلُّ بِنَفسِهِ
وَمَنand one who هُوَhe إِنif لَمdoes not يَحفَظِprotect اللَهُGod ضائِعُlost
وَمَن هُوَ إِن لَم يَحفَظِ اللَهُ ضائِعُ
I would ransom with my life one who cannot stand on his own,
With my own soul, he who is not self-reliant,
And who is lost unless God protects him.
And who is lost, if God Himself not guard him.
وَأَسلَمَنيand forsook me الباكونَthe weepers إِلّاexcept حَمامَةٌa dove
وَأَسلَمَني الباكونَ إِلّا حَمامَةٌ
مُطَوَّقَةٌring-necked قَدalready صانَعَتhas dealt tactfully with ماwhat أُصانِعُI deal tactfully with
مُطَوَّقَةٌ قَد صانَعَت ما أُصانِعُ
And the weepers have forsaken me, save a dove,
The doves left me all save a ring-necked one
Ring-necked, she has dealt with what I deal with.
Who wrought as I, and plighted troth as plighted I.
إِذاwhen نَحنُwe أَنفَدناwe have exhausted الدُموعَthe tears عَشيَّةًat evening
إِذا نَحنُ أَنفَدنا الدُموعَ عَشيَّةً
فَمَوعِدُناthen our meeting قَرنٌa horn مِنَof الشَمسِthe sun طالِعُrising
فَمَوعِدُنا قَرنٌ مِنَ الشَمسِ طالِعُ
When we have exhausted our tears at evening,
When we, as night came on, had shed our tears,
Then our meeting is when a horn of the sun rises.
Our tryst was ever a sun's horn uprising.
Sol 6.1