هوit is الحقُّthe truth ماwhat قالَsaid الحكيمُthe sage فإنهاfor she indeed
هو الحقُّ ما قالَ الحكيمُ فإنها
لغدَّارةsurely treacherous مكّارةٌscheming ببَنِيهَاagainst her sons
لغدَّارة مكّارةٌ ببَنِيهَا
What the sage said is the truth, for she
is surely treacherous, scheming against her sons.
فكمْfor how many غادرتْshe left بالرَّمْسِin the grave قوماًpeople بغدرهاthrough her treachery
فكمْ غادرتْ بالرَّمْسِ قوماً بغدرها
وكمْand how often ضَرَّسَتshe sharpened منهاof her own نواجذَmolars فيهَاher mouth
وكمْ ضَرَّسَت منها نواجذَ فيهَا
For she has left so many people in the grave through her treachery!
And how often she has sharpened the molars of her own mouth!
وماand not أرتَضِيهاI accept her مدةَfor the duration of العمرِlife خلّةًas a close companion
وما أرتَضِيها مدةَ العمرِ خلّةً
ولاnor أصطفيهاI choose her لوeven if أخلَّدI were made immortal فيهَاin her
ولا أصطفيها لو أخلَّد فيهَا
And I will not take her as a close companion as long as I live,
nor would I choose her, even were I made immortal within her.
فلاso do not تغتررْbe deceived يوماًever بإبْرَاقby the glitter of عُودِهاher bough
فلا تغتررْ يوماً بإبْرَاق عُودِها
وكُنْand be فيin فعالِperforming الصالحاتِrighteous deeds نَبِيهَاattentive
وكُنْ في فعالِ الصالحاتِ نَبِيهَا
So never be deceived by the glitter of her bough,
and be attentive in performing righteous deeds.
فأينَso where الملوكthe kings الأوِّلونَof old مضواthey passed away وَماand did not
فأينَ الملوك الأوِّلونَ مضوا وَما
قضواthey fulfilled وطراًa desire منهاfrom her وأينand where بَنِيهَاher sons
قضوا وطراً منها وأين بَنِيهَا
So where are the kings of old? They passed away, and never
had their fill of her—and where are her sons?
لقدindeed غُيِّبُواthey were hidden away واللهِby God فيin حُفَرِpits of البِلَىdecay
لقد غُيِّبُوا واللهِ في حُفَرِ البِلَى
فلمso did not يدْرِknow مَثْوىthe resting place of شيخِهاher old man وَصَبِيهَاand her boy
فلم يدْرِ مَثْوى شيخِها وَصَبِيهَا
Indeed, by God, they were hidden away in pits of decay,
so none knew the resting place of her old man and her boy.