أَقامُواthey stayed بِهاin it حَتّىuntil أَبَنَّتgrew foul with dung دِيارُهُمtheir dwellings
أَقامُوا بِها حَتّى أَبَنَّت دِيارُهُم
عَلىunder غَيرِno دَينٍdebt ضارِبٍsettled firmly بِجِرانِwith its neck laid down
عَلى غَيرِ دَينٍ ضارِبٍ بِجِرانِ
They stayed there until their dwellings reeked,
With no debt settled there, its neck laid upon the ground.
تَواهَسَwhispered together أَصحابِيmy companions حَدِيثاًa tale سَمِعتُهُI heard it
تَواهَسَ أَصحابِي حَدِيثاً سَمِعتُهُ
خَفِيّاًfaintly وأَعضادُand the upper forelegs of المَطيِّthe riding-camels عَوانِيbowed and subdued
خَفِيّاً وأَعضادُ المَطيِّ عَوانِي
My companions whispered a tale I heard
Faintly, while the mounts’ upper forelegs drooped, subdued.
كَأَنَّas though قَذىًgrit بالعَينِin the eye قَدhad مَرِحَتstreamed with tears بِهِbecause of it
كَأَنَّ قَذىً بالعَينِ قَد مَرِحَت بِهِ
وَماand what حاجَةُneed الأُخرىthe other eye إِلىfor المَرَحانِstreaming with tears
وَما حاجَةُ الأُخرى إِلى المَرَحانِ
As though grit in the eye had set it streaming—
Yet what need had the other to stream?
طَلِيعَةُa vanguard of قَومٍa people أَوor خميسٌan army عَرَمرَمٌvast and mighty
طَلِيعَةُ قَومٍ أَو خميسٌ عَرَمرَمٌ
كَسَيلِlike the torrent of الأتيِّa flood arriving from afar ضَمَّهُhemmed it in القَذَفانِthe two banks
كَسَيلِ الأتيِّ ضَمَّهُ القَذَفانِ
A people’s vanguard, or a vast, mighty army,
Like a torrent from afar, hemmed in by its two banks.
Translation model: Sol 6.1