فأدركso overtook إبقاءrestraint; sparing العرادةal-‘Arādah ظَلعُهاher lameness
فأدرك إبقاء العرادة ظَلعُها
وقدand already جعلتنيshe brought me منfrom حُزيمةَHuzaymah أصبعاa finger’s breadth
وقد جعلتني من حُزيمةَ أصبعا
Then al-‘Arādah’s lameness overtook her restraint,
So I realized preserving chastity keeps it intact,
though she had brought me within a finger’s breadth of Huzaymah.
And it has made me of the group just a finger.
فإنso if تنجyou escape منهاfrom her ياO حَزيمHazim بنson of طارقٍTariq
فإن تنج منها يا حَزيم بن طارقٍ
فقدfor already تركتI have left ماwhat خلفbehind ظهريmy back بلقعاa desolate waste
فقد تركت ما خلف ظهري بلقعا
If you escape her, O Hazim son of Tariq,
So if you escape it, O Hazim son of Tariq,
I have left everything behind my back a desolate waste.
You would have left what’s behind my back patched.
إذاif المرءthe man لمnot يغشconfront الكريهةadversity; dreaded battle أوشكتmay soon
إذا المرء لم يغش الكريهة أوشكت
حيالfacing; possibly a misreading of حبال, 'ropes' الهوينىease; indolence بالفتىwith the young man أنto تقطعاcut off; strand
حيال الهوينى بالفتى أن تقطعا
If a man does not face adversity, soon
When a man does not deceive the hated one, it is about
the ropes of ease may strand the young man [assuming 'ropes' is intended by the unclear حيال].
To cut off the passionate one from the young man.