ياO ثَورُThawr لاdo not تَشتُمَنever revile عِرضيmy honor فِداكَa ransom for you أَبيmy father
يا ثَورُ لا تَشتُمَن عِرضي فِداكَ أَبي
فَإِنَّماfor only الشَتمُreviling لِلقَومِfor the men العَواويرِthe base cowards
فَإِنَّما الشَتمُ لِلقَومِ العَواويرِ
O Thawr, do not revile my honor; may my father be your ransom.
O bull, do not insult my honor, may your father be sacrificed for you,
For reproach is only for base cowards.
For insults are only for hostile people.
ماwhat? عَقرُslaughtering نابٍan old she-camel لِأَمثالِfor the likes of الدُمىstatues فَرِدٍpeerless
ما عَقرُ نابٍ لِأَمثالِ الدُمى فَرِدٍ
عَونٍmatrons كِرامٍnoble وَأَبكارٍand maidens مَعاصيرِnewly come of age
عَونٍ كِرامٍ وَأَبكارٍ مَعاصيرِ
What harm in slaughtering an old she-camel for peerless women like statues—
No noble, generous, chaste worshipper has ever been harmed,
Noble matrons and maidens newly come of age?
By the likes of vile, debased sinners.
عَلَقنَthey gathered حَولِيَaround me يَسأَلنَthey ask for القِرىhospitality أُصُلاًin the late afternoon
عَلَقنَ حَولِيَ يَسأَلنَ القِرى أُصُلاً
وَلَيسَand not يَمضينَthey depart مِنّيfrom me بِالمَعاذيرِwith excuses
وَلَيسَ يَمضينَ مِنّي بِالمَعاذيرِ
They gathered around me, asking for hospitality in the late afternoon,
They cling to me, begging the villages for ancestry,
And they do not leave me with excuses.
Yet they leave me with no excuses.
هَبهُنَّsuppose them ضَيفاًguests عَراكُمcame upon you بَعدَafter هَجعَتِكُمyour slumber
هَبهُنَّ ضَيفاً عَراكُم بَعدَ هَجعَتِكُم
فيamid قَطقَطٍfine drizzle مِنof سَقيطِfalling dew اللَيلِthe night مَنثورِscattered
في قَطقَطٍ مِن سَقيطِ اللَيلِ مَنثورِ
Suppose they were guests who came upon you after your slumber,
Take them in as guests after your slumber
Amid a fine, scattered drizzle of the night's dew,
In the darkest hour of the scattered night.
وَلَيسَand there is no قُربُكُمُnear you شاءٌsheep وَلاnor لَبَنُmilk
وَلَيسَ قُربُكُمُ شاءٌ وَلا لَبَنُ
أَيَرجِعُwould he return? الضَيفُthe guest عَنكُمfrom you غَيرَnot مَحبورِgladdened
أَيَرجِعُ الضَيفُ عَنكُم غَيرَ مَحبورِ
And there are no sheep near you, nor milk:
You have neither milk nor honey near,
Would the guest return from you ungladdened?
Will the guest leave you deprived?
ماwhat? خَيرُgood وارِدَةٍan arriving herd لِلماءِto the water صادِرَةٍdeparting
ما خَيرُ وارِدَةٍ لِلماءِ صادِرَةٍ
لاnot تَنجَليit clears away عَنfrom عَقيرِa hamstrung beast الرِجلِthe leg مَنحورِslaughtered
لا تَنجَلي عَن عَقيرِ الرِجلِ مَنحورِ
What good is a herd that comes to water and departs,
Of what use is a waterskin that comes full but leaves empty,
If it does not part to reveal a beast hamstrung and slaughtered?
Not pouring out for the thirsty foot traveler?
Sol 6.1