طرقتcame by night أميمةUmaymah والعيونwhile the eyes نيامwere asleep
طرقت أميمة والعيون نيام
شعثاًunkempt men وأطلاحاًand exhausted she-camels بهنwithin them أوامburning thirst
شعثاً وأطلاحاً بهن أوام
Umayma came by night while all eyes slept,
Umaymah came by night, while eyes slept,
on shaggy, travel-worn mounts, thirst burning within them.
to unkempt men and exhausted she-camels burning with thirst.
أوقعنthey halted تحليلfulfillment of اليمينthe oath بقفرةin a wasteland
أوقعن تحليل اليمين بقفرة
يهماءtrackless طامسةobliterated بهاin it الأعلامthe landmarks
يهماء طامسة بها الأعلام
Their hooves touched the wilderness only for the instant needed to discharge an oath—
They halted just long enough to fulfill an oath in a wasteland,
a blind, trackless waste whose landmarks were effaced.
trackless, its landmarks obliterated.
جبنthey traversed الدجىthe night's darkness وجشمنand they endured كلevery تنوفةdesert waste
جبن الدجى وجشمن كل تنوفة
حتىuntil كأنas though صحاحهنtheir healthy ones سقامwere sick
حتى كأن صحاحهن سقام
They traversed the darkness and shouldered every boundless desert,
They crossed the night's darkness and endured every desert waste,
until even the healthy among them seemed sick.
until their healthy ones seemed sick.
حياmay ... greet الإلهGod خيالهاher phantom منas a زائرvisitor
حيا الإله خيالها من زائر
ومعand with التحيةthe greeting خيرةgood fortune وسلامand peace
ومع التحية خيرة وسلام
May God greet her phantom—what a visitor!
May God greet her phantom, a welcome visitor,
And with that greeting, blessing and peace.
and with the greeting, good fortune and peace.
أأميمO Umaym إنكindeed you لوif بليتyou tested خلائقيmy character traits
أأميم إنك لو بليت خلائقي
لعلمتyou would surely know أنيthat I am ماجدnoble بسامever smiling
لعلمت أني ماجد بسام
O Umaym, if you were to put my character to the test,
O Umaym, if you had tested my character,
you would know me noble and ever smiling—
you would surely know I am noble and ever smiling:
شهَادa frequent attendee of أنديةgatherings of الكِرامthe noble مزورvisited by guests
شهَاد أندية الكِرام مزور
وفرrich in التلادancestral wealth ملومreproached لوامoften reproaching
وفر التلاد ملوم لوام
a constant presence in the assemblies of the noble, much visited,
a frequenter of noble gatherings, much visited,
abundant in inherited wealth, blamed and a persistent reproacher.
rich in ancestral wealth, reproached and reproachful.
أشبهتI resembled آبائيmy forefathers فجئتso I came forth كمثلهمlike them
أشبهت آبائي فجئت كمثلهم
كانواthey were الأولىthose who قدمwere foremost لهاin them (these traits) وإمامand an exemplar
كانوا الأولى قدم لها وإمام
I resembled my forefathers and came forth just like them;
I took after my forefathers and came forth like them;
they had precedence in these qualities and were their exemplars.
they were the ones who led in those virtues and set the example.
