طَلَبتُI sought فَلَمbut did not أُدرِكI attain بِوَجهيby my face (my standing) وَلَيتَنيand would that I
طَلَبتُ فَلَم أُدرِك بِوَجهي وَلَيتَني
قَعَدتُI stayed behind فَلَمand did not أَبغِI seek النَدىbounty بَعدَafter سائِبِSāʾib
قَعَدتُ فَلَم أَبغِ النَدى بَعدَ سائِبِ
I sought, but my face won me nothing; would that I
Had stayed behind and sought no bounty after Sāʾib.
وَلَوand if لَجَأَhe sought refuge العافيthe seeker of bounty إِلىat رَحلِthe dwelling of سائِبٍSāʾib
وَلَو لَجَأَ العافي إِلى رَحلِ سائِبٍ
ثَوىhe stayed غَيرَnot قالٍfeeling aversion أَوor غَداhe departed in the morning غيرnot خائبdisappointed
ثَوى غَيرَ قالٍ أَو غَدا غير خائب
And had a seeker of bounty sought refuge at Sāʾib’s dwelling,
He would have stayed without resentment, or left without disappointment.
أَقولُI say وَماand not يَدريknow أُناسٌpeople غَدَواthey went in the morning بِهِwith him
أَقولُ وَما يَدري أُناسٌ غَدَوا بِهِ
إِلىto اللَحدِthe burial niche ماذاwhat أَدرَجواthey enfolded فيin السَبائِبِthe winding sheets
إِلى اللَحدِ ماذا أَدرَجوا في السَبائِبِ
I say—and those who bore him away do not know—
What they took to the grave, enfolded in the winding sheets.
وَكُلُّand every اِمرِئٍman يَوماًone day سَيَركَبُhe will ride كارِهاًunwillingly
وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ يَوماً سَيَركَبُ كارِهاً
عَلىon النَعشِthe bier أَعناقِthe necks of العِداthe foes وَالأَقارِبِand the relatives
عَلى النَعشِ أَعناقِ العِدا وَالأَقارِبِ
And every man one day will ride unwillingly,
On a bier, upon the necks of foes and kin.
Translation model: Sol 6.1