| 1) hǧisk b-śer // ḫā hōh meṭḥayn | I felt an illness // as though I were being crushed |
| 2) we-ḥyōm ḏīmōh // b-res we-rźayn | On this very day // inside of me are fatigue and aching muscles |
| 3) mhāfreḳ lā // wḳōne b-šayn | I’m not getting better // perhaps that is not even possible |
| 4) men eśśerḳawt // te ber tǧayn | From the east // and as far as where the sun has set. |
| 5) w-ḫezyū ḳlōb // menśē we-ṯḳayn | My heart, mind, and body refuse // to be cheerful and stay glad |
| 6) led ribḫem lā // wet hēm fṭayn | They won’t quiet down // should they ever recall them… |
| 7) we-ḥfaṭk ḥmōd // we-ḏ-heh meḥźayn | God Preserve Ḥmūd // and the others still in their mother’s lap, |
| 8) kenḥōn er šeh // lehnēh memḥayn | I wish I were with him // but I am busy. |
| 9) heh senh dfēʾ // wet śī leḥḳayn | He’s the windward ridge that keeps [us] warm // if anything should come upon us, |
| 10) we-wḳayt le-ǧrīw // we-ṣfēʾ we-rźayn | In times that have passed // days calm and content |
| 11) hes wīke ḫrir // w-berš ḫelṭayn | When he was with us // and we were all mixed together, |
| 12) w-birt ālī // eśśett we-zzayn | [Including] the daughter of ʿAlī // with her necklace and her beauty. |
| 13) hīš hēt ḫeṣṣāt // w-ṣōyeb tśeyn | To you, Birt ʿAlī, are distinctions // you see things correctly |
| 14) w-ṣōye ǧyēd // tǧēr meḫṣayn | Your inborn traits are good // and rise above [the rest] |
| 15) teḏhōben wlē // menkel ǧenbeyn | They merge all together // flowing from both sides [her mother and father] |
| 16) tzehyen nawt // w-bōlī erġayn | They beautify her, a blank slate // [traits inherited] from a noble people. |
| 17) w-ʾeġlē men emesk // we-rhīt we-ġṣayn | More precious than musk // [from] a thicket of slender trees and branches, |
| 18) ḥbōr šōfū // w-śitt be-ʾayn | When it grows to completion // it attracts the eye. |
| 19) ḫā heh le-meyyōn // we-ʾātōm yseyn | Just like a spring with water // flowing forth in a channel |
| 20) en heh be-śrēt // we-ḥrīh ḏ-ḥīṭayn | If it is in the highlands // on the very top of mountain gardens |
| 21) w-ḫeṭ meśśənī // w-keḏ yeśheyn | A line (of irrigation) seen from afar // by all who can appreciate it. |
| 22) w-bāl hwē // leh ḳalb yṭayn | The one who desires [to be there] // his heart takes him away |
| 23) w-sēr śreġ // hwēʾeh ybeyn | And behind the want // his desire [for it] builds up, |
| 24) wle le-meǧrē // yeḥlūl we-yfeyn | Or [he goes] to the irrigated garden // and sits there, [often] returning |
| 25) yḥazreh lā // wel heh mettəḳeyn | He neglects his own land // and is no longer certain of it. |
| 26) tē beź yehmūm // we-mnōw yeṯġayn | Even some people are able [to reach it] // since the route is inscribed in their minds; |
| 27) we-zmīhem enśē // we-wōbel ybeyn | [God] gave them strong vision // to see exactly where the downpour falls |
| 28) we-rṣayd leh ḳam // ḏ-kef ʾayneyn | But [this garden] has high walls // it is merely for the eyes to see, |
| 29) w-šettī l-ḥayd // ṭerḥayn mḥerṣayn | A property in the hand // [of an owner who] keeps it held tightly. |
| 30) tē meyt ḏ-šeḳfūl // menśē ḏ-berḳayn | Until the time that the rain falls abundantly // and the lightning storms arrive |
| 31) we-msōḳ-ḏe-nǧūm // men hel yeṯḫayn | And stars have journeyed hither // from wherever they had settled |
| 32) we-lḥaymer yǧeyn // dēk bāl ġaṭnayn | Then the star Lḥaymar gathers [the clouds] // Lord of the Heavy Rain |
| 33) w-alḥūt w-alnəḳā// w-bīt lebṭayn | And the stars of Ḥūt and Nḳā // at the time of the barley crop. |
| 34) w-śōreb āśōm // w-sāt yṭayn | Sometimes the clustered rain-stars // come around again, |
| 35) w-ḥaymed ānēš // w-ǧīdh yehmayn | Ḥaymad [Ḥmūd/Muḥammad] is like the rain-stars // his goodness exceeds the expectation. |
| 36) wet śitt we-rḥāḳ // wle bġawt ʾayn | Even when he travels far away // and disappears from sight. |
| 37) bźāt ḏ-mešmūm // ġōlī meṯṯəmayn | Bundles of amber // expensive and valuable [Ḥmūd’s beloved] |
| 38) seh līs ṭmāt // tekhōb ḫeṣṣeyn | Everyone is greedy for it // and it fetches a high price [the dowry] |
| 39) yāmīles ṭbōb // led śī ṭerḥayn | They use it for medicine // and use every bit of it. |
| 40) ʾamūr dwēl // led śī ṭarḥay | [Ḥmūd] said: ‘The governments’ [the older kin of his beloved] // have bestowed nothing on us.' |
| 41) śī ḏ-hemmeh nbeʾ // w-waṣf enkayn | A bit of news // and a descriptions [of events] has reached us |
| 42) we-lbōdem shīb // w-kel erźeyn | Becoming a wave // that spreads through every land [Other families are against the marriage as well] |
| 43) ḳfōlū frēr // we-bnūd sūḳayn | They have blocked the double wings of the doors // and closed the markets |
| 44) hes hēm yenwīl // w-šīhem āwayn | Because they can reach it // and have the means to do so. [Wealthier families prepare to compete for Ḥmūd’s beloved] |
| 45) we-mrākeb nḳawf // w-tēsen heśḥayn | They have moved their ships // and filled them with cargo, |
| 46) w-ġōlī fnōd // brek awźayn | They have kept what is precious for themselves // from among all the things that people covet. [They refuse all suitors from outside of the tribe] |
| 47) yʾōlem ḥmīm // be-lyēd ḏ-yetġayn | They aim their rifles // on those who can break through obstacles |
| 48) w-śī be-ryūl // b-bar yeṭʾayn | Or they come on foot overland // and strike them by hand, |
| 49) w-śī be-smeʾ // ṭyār yeśayn | Sometimes from the sky // bombing them with airplanes |
| 50) yhayl meǧrē // brek ġīṭayn | Steering their course // high in the cirrus clouds. |
| 51) amōrem ḳdēm // w-ṭāf ḫeṭrayn | They tell him: Go forward // and look around the boundaries between the tribes |
| 52) dīḫawṣ we-brīt // w-ǧbēl ferṭayn | At Wadi Dīḫawṣ and Brīt // and the two mountains of Farṭayn |
| 53) we-mḥawmel erśī // elbūd ḥeźnayn | The beasts of burden, all loaded // are halted there and have been settled in tight rows. |
| 54) w-heḳfīd eǧzē // be-ṭbūl we-fḳayn | Their owners unload them // to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals |
| 55) w-ṣawt ġlē // wet hēm rṭayn | Each one lifted up his voice in beauty // so as to be trading words |
| 56) we-ḫdūme ġyūǧ// yʾāmīl źabhayn | The men worked to make // an echo in the hearts of the others |
| 57) w-āfūr ārūź // menbād ḥźayn | ‘To plough the land,’ // after she has left her mother’s lap. |
| 58) heṣbāḥem enḫayl // wa-k-ǧēre ġźayn | In the morning [the land] grows // with date palms and ripened crops, |
| 59) we-bnīw meṣnāt // b-ġamź ḏ-āyn | They’ve built a large house there // all in the wink of an eye |
| 60) mǧawles ybeyt // men ġeyr derfeyn | With seven stories // not to mention a top floor open to the sky. |
| 61) w-dūfe eylēf // we-ḫlūṣ werḳayn | He pays out thousands // and finishes off the paperwork |
| 62) l-yeśtərūf // l-hɛ̄s yeśśeyn | To raise his esteem in the eyes of others // just as he wishes to be seen. |
| 63) w-ḏēd rebyeh // yeshōr we-yḳayn | The one who raised her // staying up at night and holding her in her lap |
| 64) tźōṭ mardawf // we-ǧbēʾ ḏ-yehġayn | Takes twice the gifts // more than what suffices, |
| 65) w-ġayw rebźā // we-lyēh ḏ-yelḥayn | As do the brothers of her mother // and father and her near relations. |
| 66) ḥmūd we-syēd // w-bīt yesreyn | Ḥmūd and Saʿīd // and the family of Yāsir |
| 67) ʾamūr azyēm // ʾemēr heṭmeyn | They said that they’ll think [about the proposed marriage] // if he has enticed them |
| 68) beyn bāź mīḥōn // we-ḏ-ġadlem deyn | Since amongst them are ones who are needy // and those bearing debts, |
| 69) w-ettōlī amūr // led hād tbeyn | Saying: “Afterwards // no one will come after us [looking for payment of their debts]. |
| 70) w-zēy er ġatlūb // we-ksūb erźeyn | Her people were convinced // and he earned their satisfaction, |
| 71) w-bīt emdēd // ḏēk er yemḥayn | But Bīt Amdēd // are ones who like to put people through trouble |
| 72) wet ber ḏe-ḥzōb // we-wkawb śōṭeyn | When they band together // they enter into the flames together |
| 73) ʾamōr ġreyb // be-mdōyem nkayn | They said: “A stranger // has come to us in our open squares, |
| 74) mšerḳe lā // ʾamēr ġalṭayn | He’ll benefit by nothing // if he should commit any errors against us |
| 75) hes heh w-heḳṣōh // w-ṭōr be-lḥayn | Unless he relents // and changes his tune |
| 76) w-ettōlī erdūd // w-red ewṭayn | And afterwards withdraws his suit // and returns to his native land |
| 77) men lektəlūf // w-leġdōl šayn | Instead of burdening himself // and bearing the disgrace on his shoulders. |
| 78) w-hebṣōr meksēr // w-ṣikk ṭarfeyn | He can see that the narrows // are closed on either side |
| 79) sūd ār ḏ-ġalḳet // men elḥayn w-elḥayn | And that the dark, black sea // is shut now and forever; |
| 80) yʾalyen mens // w-hād yehǧeyn | One should haul [his ship] up // from the sea and take it to shelter. |