ياoh لَيتَwould that كُلَّevery خَليلٍfriend كُنتُI was آمُلُهُI placed my hopes in him
يا لَيتَ كُلَّ خَليلٍ كُنتُ آمُلُهُ
يَكونُwould be مِثلَlike اِبنِson of دَفّاعٍDaffāʿ مِنَamong البَشَرِhumankind
يَكونُ مِثلَ اِبنِ دَفّاعٍ مِنَ البَشَرِ
Oh, would that every friend I had counted on
Oh how I wish every friend I hoped for
Were like Ibn Daffāʿ among humankind.
Would be like the son of Daffa' among all people
كَأَنَّas though طَرفَthe gaze of قَطامِيٍّa falcon بِمُقلَتِهِin his eye
كَأَنَّ طَرفَ قَطامِيٍّ بِمُقلَتِهِ
إِذاwhen يَحارُbecome bewildered هُداةُthe guides of الناسِthe people لَمdid not يَحِرِbecome bewildered
إِذا يَحارُ هُداةُ الناسِ لَم يَحِرِ
As though a falcon's gaze were in his eye,
As if the glance of Qatami with his eyelashes
When the people's guides are bewildered, he is not.
When the guides of people are confused, he is not
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen القَومُthe people كانواwere فيin رِحالِهِمِtheir tents
حَتّى إِذا القَومُ كانوا في رِحالِهِمِ
كانَwas الجَوادُthe generous man بِذيat the place with الفاثورِthe serving table وَالغُمَرِand the small drinking cup
كانَ الجَوادُ بِذي الفاثورِ وَالغُمَرِ
Then, when the people were in their tents,
Until when the people were on their mounts
The generous host was there with table and small cup.
The stallion was with the one with the sword and valor
قَدindeed يَملَأُhe fills الجَفنَةَthe large bowl الشيزىmade of shiza wood فَيَترِعُهاand fills it to the brim
قَد يَملَأُ الجَفنَةَ الشيزى فَيَترِعُها
مِنfrom ذاتِa cauldron with خَيفَينِtwo handles مِعشاءٍserving supper إِلىuntil السَحَرِthe pre-dawn hour
مِن ذاتِ خَيفَينِ مِعشاءٍ إِلى السَحَرِ
He indeed fills the shiza-wood bowl, filling it to the brim,
He may fill the leather bucket then drink it
From a two-handled cauldron serving supper till the pre-dawn hour,
From the udder of a fearful she-camel until dawn
مِنfrom كُلِّevery شَهباءَash-gray cauldron قَدalready شابَتhave turned white مَشافِرُهاits lips
مِن كُلِّ شَهباءَ قَد شابَت مَشافِرُها
تَنحازُretreats مِنfrom حِسِّهاits sound الأَفعىthe viper إِلىto الوَزَرِshelter
تَنحازُ مِن حِسِّها الأَفعى إِلى الوَزَرِ
From every ash-gray cauldron whose lips have turned white,
From every gray-haired one whose claws have grayed
At whose sound the viper retreats to shelter.
The snake recoils from its hiss to the burrow