أَلَمdid ... not? تَربَعyou halt عَلىat الطَلَلِthe ruins
أَلَم تَربَع عَلى الطَلَلِ
وَمَغنىand the dwelling الحَيِّof the tribe كَالخِلَلِlike sword-sheath linings
وَمَغنى الحَيِّ كَالخِلَلِ
Did you not halt at the ruins,
and the tribe's dwelling, like sword-sheath linings?
تُعَفّيefface رَسمَهُits traces الأَرواthe winds (first part)
تُعَفّي رَسمَهُ الأَروا
حُ(completes 'the winds') مِنfrom صَبَإٍthe east wind وَمِنand from شَمَلِthe north wind
حُ مِن صَبَإٍ وَمِن شَمَلِ
The winds efface its traces,
from the east and from the north,
وَأَنداءٌand dews تُباكِرُهُvisit it at dawn
وَأَنداءٌ تُباكِرُهُ
وَجَونٌand a dark cloud واكِفُpouring السَبَلِrain
وَجَونٌ واكِفُ السَبَلِ
and dews that visit it at dawn,
and a dark cloud pouring rain.
لِهِندٍbelonging to Hind إِنَّindeed هِنداًHind حُبlove (first part)
لِهِندٍ إِنَّ هِنداً حُب
بُهاfor her (completes 'love for her') قَدindeed كانَwas مِنamong شُغُليmy preoccupations
بُها قَد كانَ مِن شُغُلي
Hind's abode—indeed, love for Hind
had been among my preoccupations,
لَياليnights when تَستَبيshe takes captive عَقليmy mind
لَيالي تَستَبي عَقلي
بِوَحفٍwith luxuriant hair وارِدٍflowing down جَثِلِthick
بِوَحفٍ وارِدٍ جَثِلِ
on nights when she took my mind captive
with luxuriant, flowing, thick hair,
وَعَينَيand the two eyes of مُغزِلٍa doe with a fawn حَوراdark-eyed (first part)
وَعَينَي مُغزِلٍ حَورا
ءَ(completes 'dark-eyed') لَمnot تُكحَلbe lined with kohl مِنَamong الخُذُلِdoes staying behind with their young
ءَ لَم تُكحَل مِنَ الخُذُلِ
and the eyes of a dark-eyed doe with a fawn,
untouched by kohl, one of the does that linger behind.
فَلَمّاthen when أَنthat (emphatic connective) عَرَفتُI recognized الداthe dwelling (first part)
فَلَمّا أَن عَرَفتُ الدا
رَ(completes 'the dwelling') عُجتُI turned لِرَسمِهاtoward its traces جَمَليmy camel
رَ عُجتُ لِرَسمِها جَمَلي
Then, when I recognized the dwelling,
I turned my camel toward its traces,
وَقُلتُand I said لِصُحبَتيto my companions عوجواturn aside
وَقُلتُ لِصُحبَتي عوجوا
فَعاجواso they turned هِزَّةَa swaying الإِبِلِof the camels
فَعاجوا هِزَّةَ الإِبِلِ
and said to my companions, 'Turn aside.'
So they turned, the camels swaying,
وَقالواand they said قِفstop وَلاand do not تَعجَلhurry
وَقالوا قِف وَلا تَعجَل
وَإِنand even though كُنّاwe are عَلىin عَجَلِhaste
وَإِن كُنّا عَلى عَجَلِ
and said, 'Stop, and do not hurry,
even though we are in haste.
قَليلٌlittle فيin هَواكَyour love اليَوtoday (first part)
قَليلٌ في هَواكَ اليَو
مَ(completes 'today') ماwhat نَلقىwe encounter مِنَof العَمَلِtoil
مَ ما نَلقى مِنَ العَمَلِ
Little, for your love's sake today,
is the toil we endure.'