ذرينيleave me أَمmother of مسكينMiskin ذرينيleave me
ذريني أَم مسكين ذريني
فانfor indeed الحقduty يوديbrings death بالبَعيرto the camel
فان الحق يودي بالبَعير
Leave me, Umm Miskin, leave me.
Let me grieve, oh mother of misery, let me grieve
For duty brings the camel to its death.
For truth will lead the camel astray
وَناجيةٍand many a swift she-camel نحرتُI slaughtered لشربfor drinking companions صدقworthy
وَناجيةٍ نحرتُ لشرب صدق
وَلَمand did not أَعبأI pay heed بتصريفto the changing course of الأُمورaffairs
وَلَم أَعبأ بتصريف الأُمور
And many a swift she-camel I slaughtered for worthy drinking companions,
And I have slaughtered an oblation to drink sincerity
And I paid no heed to the changing course of affairs.
Heeding not the tide of events
كأَنas though جبينهاher brow كُركيa crane ماءwater
كأَن جبينها كُركي ماء
قَليلscant الريشplumage مقتولslain كَسيرُbroken
قَليل الريش مقتول كَسيرُ
As though her brow were a water crane,
As though her brow were a water bag
Scant of feathers, slain and broken.
Scant of plumage, killed often over
وَلاand no وَاللَهby God ربّكyour Lord ماnot أُباليI care
وَلا وَاللَه ربّك ما أُبالي
لمنto whom كانbelonged العشيرthe tenth share منof الجزورِthe slaughtered camel
لمن كان العشير من الجزورِ
And no—by God, your Lord—I do not care
By Allah, my Lord, I care not
Who receives the tenth share of the slaughtered camel,
To whom the clan or the graves belong
إِذاwhen كانَwas القتارthe aroma of roasting meat أَحبَّdearer ريحاًin scent
إِذا كانَ القتار أَحبَّ ريحاً
إِلىto الفَتَياتthe young women منthan رحيgrinding of العَبيرِblended perfume
إِلى الفَتَيات من رحي العَبيرِ
When the aroma of roasting meat is a dearer scent
If musk is dearer to the girls
To the young women than blended perfume being ground.
Than the scent of ambergris