كَأَنّيas though I كُنتُI was فيin أَزمانِthe times of عادٍʿĀd
كَأَنّي كُنتُ في أَزمانِ عادٍ
أُعاشِرُI associate with آلَthe family of قَيلٍQayl أَوor مُرَيدِMurayd
أُعاشِرُ آلَ قَيلٍ أَو مُرَيدِ
It is as though I lived in the days of ʿĀd,
keeping company with the house of Qayl or Murayd.
وَماand not عَفَتِspared الحَوادِثُcalamities عَنwith respect to شُجاعٍa brave man
وَما عَفَتِ الحَوادِثُ عَن شُجاعٍ
فَتَعفوso they would spare عَنwith respect to عُتَيبَةَʿUtaybah أَوor دُرَيدِDurayd
فَتَعفو عَن عُتَيبَةَ أَو دُرَيدِ
And calamities have spared no brave man,
that they should spare ʿUtaybah or Durayd.
أُريدُI seek الآنَnow مَغفِرَةًforgiveness فَإِنّيfor I
أُريدُ الآنَ مَغفِرَةً فَإِنّي
أُراقِبُI await حَتفَthe death of مُغفِرَةٍa mother ibex بِرَيدِon a crag
أُراقِبُ حَتفَ مُغفِرَةٍ بِرَيدِ
I seek forgiveness now, for I
await a death like a mother ibex's on a crag.
وَإِنَّand indeed صَوارِدَpiercing blows الأَيّامِthe days; time تَأتيcome
وَإِنَّ صَوارِدَ الأَيّامِ تَأتي
عَلىupon عِقبانِهاits eagles وَعَلىand upon الصُرَيدِthe little shrike
عَلى عِقبانِها وَعَلى الصُرَيدِ
And indeed time's piercing blows fall
upon its eagles and upon the little shrike.