خَلِيلىَّmy two friends رُوحَاset out, you two مُصعِدَينِboth heading upcountry فَسَلَّمَاthen offer greetings, you two
خَلِيلىَّ رُوحَا مُصعِدَينِ فَسَلَّمَا
عَلَىto نِسوَةٍwomen بالعابِدَينِat al-ʿĀbidayn مِلاحِbeautiful
عَلَى نِسوَةٍ بالعابِدَينِ مِلاحِ
My two friends, set out for the highlands, and bear my greetings
My two friends, set out upcountry and offer greetings
to the beautiful women at al-ʿĀbidayn.
to beautiful women at al-ʿĀbidayn.
فَإِنand if أَنتُماyou two كَلَّمتُمَاهُنَّyou two speak to them فَاشكُواthen complain of
فَإِن أَنتُما كَلَّمتُمَاهُنَّ فَاشكُوا
دَوَىًa sickness دَنَفاًwasting يَزدَادُworsens كُلَّevery صَبَاحِmorning
دَوَىً دَنَفاً يَزدَادُ كُلَّ صَبَاحِ
If you two speak with them, then tell
And if you two speak to them, then complain of
of Duwayn’s wasting lovesickness, worsening every morning,
a wasting sickness that worsens every morning,
إِلَىto مُطفِلٍa woman with an infant مِنهُنَّamong them مَهضومَةِslender الحَشَاthe waist
إِلَى مُطفِلٍ مِنهُنَّ مَهضومَةِ الحَشَا
مُسَلسَلَةِslender المَتنَينِboth sides of the back وَهيَand she is رَداحَfull-hipped
مُسَلسَلَةِ المَتنَينِ وَهيَ رَداحَ
to one among them—a young mother, slender-waisted,
to one among them with an infant, slender-waisted,
long and supple along both sides of her back, yet ample-hipped.
slender-backed, yet full-hipped.
لَقَدindeed تَرَكتنىshe has left me ماnot أَعِىI comprehend لِمُحَدِّثٍfrom a speaker
لَقَد تَرَكتنى ما أَعِى لِمُحَدِّثٍ
حَدِيثاًspeech وماand not اَروىI quench my thirst بَبردِwith the coolness of قَراحpure water
حَدِيثاً وما اَروى بَبردِ قَراح
Indeed, she has left me unable to grasp a speaker’s
She has indeed left me unable to grasp a speaker's
words, or slake my thirst with cool, pure water.
words, and my thirst is not quenched by cool, pure water.
