قِفاstop, you two فَهريقاthen pour out, you two الدَمعَthe tears بِالمَنزِلِat the dwelling الدَرسِweathered; effaced
قِفا فَهريقا الدَمعَ بِالمَنزِلِ الدَرسِ
وَلاand do not تَستَمِلّاgrow weary, you two أَنthat يَطولَshould last long بِهاat it حَبسيmy lingering
وَلا تَستَمِلّا أَن يَطولَ بِها حَبسي
Stop, you two, and pour out tears at the weathered dwelling.
And do not grow weary of my lingering there so long.
وَلَوand had أَطمَعتَناgiven us hope الدارُthe dwelling أَوor ساعَفَتfavored us بِهاwith her
وَلَو أَطمَعتَنا الدارُ أَو ساعَفَت بِها
نَصَصناwe drove at full speed ذواتِthose possessing النَصِّa swift pace وَالعَنَقِand a trotting gait المَلسِsmooth
نَصَصنا ذواتِ النَصِّ وَالعَنَقِ المَلسِ
Had the dwelling given us hope, or favored us with her,
we would have driven hard the she-camels of swift pace and smooth trot,
وَحُثَّتand was urged onward اليهاtoward her كُلُّevery وَجناءَbroad-cheeked she-camel حُرَّةٍpurebred
وَحُثَّت اليها كُلُّ وَجناءَ حُرَّةٍ
مِنamong العيسِthe pale camels يُبنىis built رَحلُهاher saddle مَوضِعَat the place of الجَلسِhigh ground
مِن العيسِ يُبنى رَحلُها مَوضِعَ الجَلسِ
and every broad-cheeked, purebred she-camel would have been urged toward her,
among the pale camels, her saddle built upon a height,
ليَعلَمَso he may know أَنَّthat البُعدَdistance لَمhas not يُنسِcaused forgetting ذِكرَهاremembrance of her
ليَعلَمَ أَنَّ البُعدَ لَم يُنسِ ذِكرَها
وَقَدand may يُذهِلُbewilder النأيُseparation الطَويلُlong وَقَدand may يُنسيmake one forget
وَقَد يُذهِلُ النأيُ الطَويلُ وَقَد يُنسي
so he may know that distance has not effaced the memory of her,
though long separation may bewilder, and may make one forget.
فإِنfor if سَكَنَتshe dwells بالغَورِin the lowlands حَنَّhe yearns صَبابَةًwith passionate longing
فإِن سَكَنَت بالغَورِ حَنَّ صَبابَةً
إِلىtoward الغَورِthe lowlands أَوor بالجَلسِin the uplands حَنَّhe yearns إِلىtoward الجَلسِthe uplands
إِلى الغَورِ أَو بالجَلسِ حَنَّ إِلى الجَلسِ
For if she dwells in the lowlands, he yearns passionately
for the lowlands; or, if in the uplands, he yearns for the uplands.
تَبَدَّتshe appeared فَقُلتُso I said الشَمسُthe sun عِندَat طُلوعِهاits rising
تَبَدَّت فَقُلتُ الشَمسُ عِندَ طُلوعِها
بِلَونِwith a complexion غَنيِّhaving no need الحلدِthe skin (apparently intended) عَنof أَثَرa trace الوَرسِwars, a yellow plant dye
بِلَونِ غَنيِّ الحلدِ عَن أَثَر الوَرسِ
She appeared, so I said: the sun at its rising,
with a complexion needing no trace of wars dye.
فَلَمّاthen when اِرتَجَعتُI regained الروحَthe soul قُلتُI said لِصاحِبيto my companion
فَلَمّا اِرتَجَعتُ الروحَ قُلتُ لِصاحِبي
عَلىin مِريَةٍdoubt ماnot هاbehold (pointing particle) هُناhere مَطلعُthe rising-place of الشَمسِthe sun
عَلى مِريَةٍ ما ها هُنا مَطلعُ الشَمسِ
Then, when I regained my soul, I said to my companion,
in doubt: 'This is not the sun’s rising-place.'