لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُI saw أَنَّthat ماwhat يَبتَغيhe seeks القِرىhospitality
لَمّا رَأَيتُ أَنَّ ما يَبتَغي القِرى
وَأَنَّand that اِبنَson of أَعياA‘ya لاno مَحالَةَavoiding it فاضِحيwill disgrace me
وَأَنَّ اِبنَ أَعيا لا مَحالَةَ فاضِحي
When I saw that what he sought was hospitality,
And that Ibn A‘ya would inevitably put me to shame,
شَدَدتُI braced حَيازيمَthe chest of اِبنِson of أَعياA‘ya بِشَربَةٍwith a draught
شَدَدتُ حَيازيمَ اِبنِ أَعيا بِشَربَةٍ
عَلىamid فاقَةٍwant سَدَّتit filled أُصولَthe roots of الجَوانِحِthe ribs
عَلى فاقَةٍ سَدَّت أُصولَ الجَوانِحِ
I braced Ibn A‘ya's chest with a draught;
Amid want, it filled him to the roots of his ribs.
وَماand not كُنتُI was مِثلَlike الكاهِلِيِّal-Kahili وَعِرسِهِand his wife
وَما كُنتُ مِثلَ الكاهِلِيِّ وَعِرسِهِ
بَغىhe sought الوُدَّaffection مِنfrom مَطروفَةِfickle العَينِthe eye طامِحِroving
بَغى الوُدَّ مِن مَطروفَةِ العَينِ طامِحِ
And I was not like al-Kahili and his wife:
He sought affection from a woman with a fickle, roving eye.
غَداhe went out at dawn باغِياًstriving يَبغيhe seeks رِضاهاher favor وَوُدَّهاand her affection
غَدا باغِياً يَبغي رِضاها وَوُدَّها
وَغابَتand she was absent لَهُtoward him غَيبَthe absence of اِمرِئٍa person غَيرُnot ناصِحِwell-wishing
وَغابَت لَهُ غَيبَ اِمرِئٍ غَيرُ ناصِحِ
He went out at dawn, striving to win her favor and affection,
While behind his back she acted like one who wished him no good.
دَعَتshe prayed to رَبَّهاher Lord أَلّاthat he not يَزالَcease بِحاجَةٍin need
دَعَت رَبَّها أَلّا يَزالَ بِحاجَةٍ
وَلاand not يَغتَديhe sets out at dawn إِلّاexcept عَلىon حَدِّthe brink of بارِحِa calamity
وَلا يَغتَدي إِلّا عَلى حَدِّ بارِحِ
She prayed to her Lord that he should never cease to be in need,
And never set out at dawn except on the brink of calamity.
فَلَمّاthen when رَأَتshe saw أَلّاthat He would not يُجيبَanswer دُعائَهاher prayer
فَلَمّا رَأَت أَلّا يُجيبَ دُعائَها
سَقَتهُshe gave him to drink عَلىin لَوحٍthirst دِماءَthe blood of الذَرارِحِthe blister beetles
سَقَتهُ عَلى لَوحٍ دِماءَ الذَرارِحِ
Then, when she saw that He would not answer her prayer,
She gave him, in his thirst, the blood of blister beetles to drink.
وَقالَتand she said شَرابٌa drink بارِدٌcool فَاِشرَبَنَّهُso do drink it
وَقالَت شَرابٌ بارِدٌ فَاِشرَبَنَّهُ
وَلَمand not يَدرِhe knew ماwhat خاضَتshe had stirred لَهُfor him بِالمَجادِحِwith the stirring-sticks
وَلَم يَدرِ ما خاضَت لَهُ بِالمَجادِحِ
And she said, 'A cool drink—so do drink it!'
And he did not know what she had stirred for him with the stirring-sticks.
فَشَدَّhow grievous, then بِذاwith this خِزياًa disgrace عَلىupon ذيone possessing حَفيظَةٍa sense of honor
فَشَدَّ بِذا خِزياً عَلى ذي حَفيظَةٍ
وَهانَand how light بِذاwith this غُرماًa penalty عَلىupon كَفِّthe hand of جارِحِan offender
وَهانَ بِذا غُرماً عَلى كَفِّ جارِحِ
How grievous, then, this disgrace for a man of honor,
And how light this penalty for the offending hand!
أَخوthe brother of المَرءِa man يُؤتىis assailed دونَهُbefore him ثُمَّthen يُتَّقىis guarded against
أَخو المَرءِ يُؤتى دونَهُ ثُمَّ يُتَّقى
بِزُبِّwith shaggy اللِحىbeards جُردِhairless الخُصىtesticles كَالجَمامِحِlike blunt practice arrows
بِزُبِّ اللِحى جُردِ الخُصى كَالجَمامِحِ
A man's brother is struck down before him; then he is held at bay
With shaggy-bearded, bare-balled goats, like blunt practice arrows.
Translation model: Sol 6.1