عَيْنَAyn (eye) شمسShams (sun) لاmay ... not عاينتِكbehold you الشموسthe suns
عَيْنَ شمس لا عاينتِك الشموس
منزِلa dwelling مقفرdeserted ورَبْعand an abode دَرِيسtimeworn
منزِل مقفر ورَبْع دَرِيس
Ayn Shams, may the suns never behold you!
O eye of the sun, no other suns have I seen like you,
A deserted dwelling and a timeworn abode.
An abandoned house and a desolate abode,
يرجِعreturns الطَرْفُthe gaze خاسِئاًrepulsed وحسِيراand weary
يرجِع الطَرْفُ خاسِئاً وحسِيرا
وتقاسِيand suffer الكروبَthe sorrows فيهin it النفوسُthe souls
وتقاسِي الكروبَ فيه النفوسُ
The gaze returns repulsed and weary,
The gaze returns crestfallen and regretful,
and souls suffer anguish there.
And souls suffer much pain in it.
عسكرتencamped فِيهِin it للأفاعِيfor the vipers جيوشarmies
عسكرت فِيهِ للأفاعِي جيوش
وثوىand settled للذئابِfor the wolves فيهin it خَميسُan army
وثوى للذئابِ فيه خَميسُ
Armies of vipers have encamped there,
In it armies of serpents are encamped,
and an army of wolves has settled there.
And it is the abode of wolves on Thursdays.
فهوso it is عارbare إلاexcept مِنof الشؤمِill omen والشرand evil (continued)
فهو عار إلا مِن الشؤمِ والشر
رcompletes ‘evil’ (الشرّ) فلاso may ... not حلَّalight upon أرضَهits soil التقدِيسsanctity
ر فلا حلَّ أرضَه التقدِيس
So it is bare, save for ill omen and evil;
So it is disgraceful except for misfortune and evil,
so may sanctity never alight upon its soil.
And no blessing has come upon its land.