برغميagainst my will بناتdaughters الرُّومthe Romans حزناًin sorrow; possibly حُزْنا: we took possession رقابهاtheir necks
برغمي بنات الرُّوم حزناً رقابها
وحالُand the state الهوىpassion بالشيبthrough gray hair والهمّand worry فاسدruined
وحالُ الهوى بالشيب والهمّ فاسد
Against my will, we took possession of the necks of Rome's daughters (tentative reading).
Despite my sadness, the Roman girls gracefully move their necks,
And passion's state is ruined by gray hair and worry.
And the state of love is corrupted by age and worries,
تبكّيlament عليهنَّover them البطاريقُthe patricians فيin الدّجىthe darkness
تبكّي عليهنَّ البطاريقُ في الدّجى
وهنَّand they لديناwith us ملقياتcast aside كواسدunsold; unwanted
وهنَّ لدينا ملقيات كواسد
The patricians lament them in the darkness,
The patriarchs cry for them in the darkness,
While they lie with us, cast aside and unwanted.
And here they are with us, casting down their eyes.
أماindeed والصبىby youth إنيindeed I أعفّam chaste; abstain بفقدهthrough its loss
أما والصبى إني أعفّ بفقده
وإنَّand indeed ضجيعbedfellow الجودgenerosity منيin me لماجدtruly noble
وإنَّ ضجيع الجود مني لماجد
Indeed, by youth, I am chaste through its loss,
But I swear by the youth I have lost,
And in me generosity has a truly noble bedfellow.
That I am noble despite the loss of the one who slept beside me.