أُنِيخَتْ لَدى بابِ ابْنِ مَرْوانَ ناقَتِي

أُنِيخَتْ لَدى بابِ ابْنِ مَرْوانَ ناقَتِي

ثَلاثاً لَها عِنْدَ النِّتاجِ صَرِيفُ

ثَلاثاً لَها عِنْدَ النِّتاجِ صَرِيفُ

My she-camel was made to kneel at Ibn Marwan's gate

I halted my she-camel at the door of Ibn Marwan's son

For three nights; at foaling she grinds her teeth.

Thrice at evening she had been taken to a male for mating

يُطِيفُ بِها فِتْيانُهُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ

يُطِيفُ بِها فِتْيانُهُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ

بِنيرَيْنِ مِئْرانُ الجبالِ وَرِيفُ

بِنيرَيْنِ مِئْرانُ الجبالِ وَرِيفُ

His young men circle around her every night

His slaves walk her about every night

With two yokes; the mountains' miʾrān is luxuriant [term unclear].

With two ropes of goat's hair twisted together

غُلامٌ تَلَقَّى سُؤْدَداً وَهُوَ ناشِىءٌ

غُلامٌ تَلَقَّى سُؤْدَداً وَهُوَ ناشِىءٌ

فآتَتْ بهِ رَحْبَ الذِّراعِ أَلِيفُ

فآتَتْ بهِ رَحْبَ الذِّراعِ أَلِيفُ

A youth who inherited nobility while still growing up—

A boy took charge of her when still growing up

A loving woman bore him, broad of arm—

So she came to have ample forelegs, tame and familiar

بِقيلٍ كتَحْبِيرِ اليَماني ونَائِلٍ

بِقيلٍ كتَحْبِيرِ اليَماني ونَائِلٍ

إذا قُلِّبَتْ دُونَ العَطاءِ كُفُوفُ

إذا قُلِّبَتْ دُونَ العَطاءِ كُفُوفُ

With speech like Yemeni embroidery, and bounty

Of pure stock, like the incensed Yemeni; easy to control

When palms are turned back from giving.

When refused provender, with restrained generosity

ورُحْنا كأنّا نَمْتَطِي أخْدَرِيَّةً

ورُحْنا كأنّا نَمْتَطِي أخْدَرِيَّةً

أَضَرَّ بِها رَخْوُ اللِّبانِ عَنِيفُ

أَضَرَّ بِها رَخْوُ اللِّبانِ عَنِيفُ

And we departed as though riding an Akhdari wild she-ass,

And we rode as though astride an ostrich

Hard-pressed by a rough, slack-breasted male.

Over rugged ground where gum trees shed their scent

وحَلاَّها حتّى إذا لَمْ يَسَعْ لَها

وحَلاَّها حتّى إذا لَمْ يَسَعْ لَها

حليٍّ بجَنْبَيْ ثادِقٍ وجَفيفُ

حليٍّ بجَنْبَيْ ثادِقٍ وجَفيفُ

And he drove her away until she could take no more

They packed her saddle until, unable to bear more

Ḥalī grass and dry herbage on either side of Thadiq.

Of ornaments at her girth, she threw them off

أَرَنَّ عليها قارِباً وانْتَحَتْ لَهُ

أَرَنَّ عليها قارِباً وانْتَحَتْ لَهُ

مُبَرَّةُ أرساغِ اليَدَيْنِ زَرُوفُ

مُبَرَّةُ أرساغِ اليَدَيْنِ زَرُوفُ

He brayed at her as he neared water, and she turned toward him,

She bolted at a mirage, hunched up her slender forearms

Ring-marked at the fore-pasterns, long-striding.

Decked with bracelets, flexible like osiers

تُهادي خجوجاً خَدَّدَ الجَرْيُ لَحْمَها

تُهادي خجوجاً خَدَّدَ الجَرْيُ لَحْمَها

فَلا جَحْشُها بالصيفِ فَهْي خروفُ

فَلا جَحْشُها بالصيفِ فَهْي خروفُ

She keeps pace with a swift male, her flesh furrowed by running;

Toying with trinkets; the running had polished her flesh

Her foal was weaned in summer, so she is an autumn-foaling dam.

So she had no withers in summer, but was plump