شَكَوتُI complained ذَهابَthe loss of طارِقَتيmy she-camel إِلَيهاto her
شَكَوتُ ذَهابَ طارِقَتي إِلَيها
وَطارِقَتيand my she-camel بِأَنافِat Anaf of الدُروبِthe passes
وَطارِقَتي بِأَنافِ الدُروبِ
I complained to her of losing my she-camel,
I complained to her of my herd's departure, while my herd was at the head of the trails.
while my she-camel was at Anaf of the passes.
He answered my words with a paltry gift, like the chick of a sparrow in a barren year.
فَصَدَّقَso he confirmed ماwhat أَقولُI say بِحَبحَبِيٍّwith a puny camel
فَصَدَّقَ ما أَقولُ بِحَبحَبِيٍّ
كَفَرخِlike a chick الصَعوِof the wren فيin العامِthe year الجَديبِof drought
كَفَرخِ الصَعوِ في العامِ الجَديبِ
So he bore out my words with a puny camel,
His people scavenged dry brush for it, Rimaath wood beneath a biting, scorching sun.
like a wren's chick in a year of drought.
By your life, Abu Hakim offered no aid, with neither a worthy beast nor a noble young camel.
تَلَسَّنَtouted اَهلُهُits owners رُبعاًa spring-born camel calf عَلَيهاon her
تَلَسَّنَ اَهلُهُ رُبعاً عَلَيها
رِماثاًa weakling تَحتَbeneath مِقلاةٍa she-camel whose calves die نَيوبِlong-toothed and old
رِماثاً تَحتَ مِقلاةٍ نَيوبِ
Its owners touted it as a spring-born calf at her side—
a weakling beneath a long-toothed she-camel whose calves die.
لَعَمرُكَby your life ماnot أَعانَhelped أَبوAbu (father of) حَكيمِHakim
لَعَمرُكَ ما أَعانَ أَبو حَكيمِ
بِقاضِيَةٍwith a she-camel that suffices وَلاnor بِكرٍa young camel نَجيبِwell-bred
بِقاضِيَةٍ وَلا بِكرٍ نَجيبِ
By your life, Abu Hakim did not help,
with a she-camel that would suffice, nor a well-bred young camel.
Partial English translation: 4 of 8 Arabic lines translated.