ياO شَرَّSharr هَلis there لِلوَعدِfor the promise مِنany نُجحِfulfillment
يا شَرَّ هَل لِلوَعدِ مِن نُجحِ
أَمor لِلذُنوبِfor sins لَدَيكَwith you مِنany صَفحِpardon
أَم لِلذُنوبِ لَدَيكَ مِن صَفحِ
O Sharr, will the promise be fulfilled?
Or is there any pardon with you for sins?
لَيسَتthere is not لَهاfor her كَبِدٌa liver تَرِقُّshe feels compassion بِهِwith it
لَيسَت لَها كَبِدٌ تَرِقُّ بِهِ
شَهِدَتbore witness بِذاكَto that لَطافَةُslenderness الكَشحِthe waist
شَهِدَت بِذاكَ لَطافَةُ الكَشحِ
She has no liver with which to feel compassion;
the slenderness of her waist bears witness to that.
هامَتwandered رَكائِبُناour riding camels إِلَيكَtoward you فَماand so not
هامَت رَكائِبُنا إِلَيكَ فَما
يَخبِطنَthey stumble upon أَهلَthe folk of النارِthe fire وَالنَبحِand the barking
يَخبِطنَ أَهلَ النارِ وَالنَبحِ
Our riding camels have wandered toward you, and do not
stumble upon the folk of fires and barking dogs.
فَكَأَنَّand so, as though أَيدِيَهُنَّtheir forelegs لازِمَةٌfixed fast
فَكَأَنَّ أَيدِيَهُنَّ لازِمَةٌ
يَفحَصنَthey scratch لَيلَتَهُنَّtheir night عَنin search of صُبحِdawn
يَفحَصنَ لَيلَتَهُنَّ عَن صُبحِ
It is as though their forelegs were fixed fast,
as they scratch through their night in search of dawn.