كَيفَhow يَخلوhe is alone وَماand not خَلاhe has been without مِنof عَفافٍchastity
كَيفَ يَخلو وَما خَلا مِن عَفافٍ
ماnot خَلَتwas alone قَطُّever ريبَةٌsuspicion بِعَفيفِwith a chaste man
ما خَلَت قَطُّ ريبَةٌ بِعَفيفِ
How can he be alone, when he is not without chastity?
How can he be blameless when no blameless man
Suspicion has never been alone with a chaste man.
Was ever free from blame in others' eyes?
وَعِتاقُand the noble ones الأَحبابِof loved ones يَشغَلُdistracts عَنهُfrom him/it
وَعِتاقُ الأَحبابِ يَشغَلُ عَنهُ
هِمَّةٌan ambition هَمُّهاits concern عِناقُembracing السُيوفِthe swords
هِمَّةٌ هَمُّها عِناقُ السُيوفِ
And from the noble among loved ones he is diverted
The love of comrades fills his mind instead
by an ambition whose concern is embracing swords.
With thoughts of clasping scimitars, not thighs.