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With nostrils flaring, he crosses the land

وذي نعرات يقطع الأرض ساريا

1. With nostrils flaring, he crosses the land,
On legs not his own, though better known to earth,

١. وَذِي نَعَرَاتٍ يَقْطَعُ الأَرْضَ سَارِياً
عَلَى غَيْرِ سَاقٍ وَهْوَ بِالأَرْضِ أَعْرَفُ

2. Over the winds’ necks his forelocks blow,
Fringed some short, some long, down swept.

٢. لَهُ فَوْقَ أَعْنَاقِ الرِّيَاحِ سَبَائِبٌ
مُحَبَّرَةٌ مِنْهَا قَصِيرٌ وَمُسْدَفُ

3. As though King Solomon aloft
On his throne with jinn entertaining jinn,

٣. كَأَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ فَوْقَهُ
عَلَى عَرْشِهِ وَالْجِنُّ بِالْجِنِّ تَعْزِفُ

4. Toying with us though relaxed,
At times laughing with eyes that weep,

٤. يَجِدُّ بِنَا فِي أَمْرِهِ وَهْوَ لاعِبٌ
وَيَضْحَكُ أَحْيَاناً وَعَيْنَاهُ تَذْرِفُ

5. Flames kindle in him, water gushes out,
Nor can water quench or flames enfeeble,

٥. تَلَهَّبُ فِيهِ النَّارُ وَالْمَاءُ سَافِحٌ
فَلا الْمَاءُ يُطْفِيهَا وَلا النَّارُ تَضْعُفُ

6. When he leaves a land, a paradise it becomes,
Adorned, embellished, wherever he settles,

٦. إِذَا سَارَ عَنْ أَرْضٍ غَدَتْ وَهْيَ جَنَّةٌ
وَإِنْ حَلَّ عَمَّهَا مِنْهُ زُخْرُفُ

7. To souls bringing life, though sometimes
Fires erupt, weapons are loosed from his grip,

٧. يَكُونُ حَيَاةً لِلنُّفُوسِ وَرُبَّما
ضَبَتْ مِنْهُ نَارٌ أَوْ سَطَا مِنْهُ مُرْهَفُ

8. He bellows, eyes generous, heart aquiver
Like lamps flickering in the gloom,

٨. لَهُ زَفْرَةٌ تَتْرَى وَعَيْنٌ سَخِيَّةٌ
وَقَلْبٌ كَزَهْرَاءِ الْمَصَابِيحِ يَرْجُفُ

9. Gliding on air, crashing in ocean deeps,
Scooping in the waters that he then would sip,

٩. يَسِيرُ عَلَى مَتْنِ الْهَوَاءِ وَتَارَةً
يُخَضْخِضُ سَجْلاً فِي الْبِحَارِ فَيَغْرِفُ

10. His burden harmed the mounts’ necks until
They cast him off, disdainful of his heft,

١٠. أَضَرَّ بِأَعْنَاقِ النَّعَائِمِ حَمْلُهُ
فَأَلْقَتْ بِهِ عَنْ ظَهْرِهَا فَهْوَ يَرْسُفُ

11. With bulk filling skies as though a line
Of moving hills spreads over earth adrift.

١١. لَهُ هَيْدَبٌ مِلْءُ الْفَضَاءِ كَأَنَّهُ
مَنَاكِبُ أَطْوَادٍ عَلَى الأَرْضِ تَزْحَفُ

12. Deeming an army the approaching throng,
We sniffed lightning in his swift approach

١٢. فَزِعْنَا إِلَيْهِ نَحْسَبُ الْجَوْنَ عَسْكَراً
يَسِيرُ فَشِمْنَا بَرْقَهُ وَهْوَ يَخْطَفُ

13. “A rain cloud!” we said. “May Allah water our land,
Quench us with it, kinder to man than any could be.”

١٣. فَقُلْنَا سَحَابٌ يَا سَقَى اللَّهُ أَرْضَنَا
بِهِ وَرَوَانَا فَهْوَ بِالنَّاسِ أَرْأَفُ

14. No sooner the wind had borne him along
Than the herald of good tidings came to give oath:

١٤. فَمَا تَمَّ أَنْ سَارَتْ بِهِ الرِّيحُ سَيْرَةً
إِلَيْنَا وَوَافَى رَائِدُ الْحَيِّ يَحْلِفُ

15. We rose to meet him, trusting his nobility,
Elation leading us as cries we lift,

١٥. فَقُمْنَا إِلَيْهِ وَاثِقِينَ بِجَوْدِهِ
نَسِيرُ وَيَعْرُونَا السُّرُورُ فَنَهْتِفُ

16. We came close, held his muzzle ropes secure,
As the sands about him dampness did sift.

١٦. دَنَا فَتَنَاوَلْنَا خَيَاشِيمَ مُزْنِهِ
قُعُوداً فَظَلَّتْ وَهْيَ بِالْمَاءِ تَرْعُفُ

17. Lads circled, disturbing his water
Filling cups, while yearning drew ever nearer to sip.

١٧. وَطَافَتْ بِهِ الْوِلْدَانُ يَخْلِجْنَ مَاءَهُ
بِأَكْوَابِهَا وَالْهمُّ يَدْنُو فَيَغْرِفُ

18. Not a she-camel in rut turned from his pool,
Bellowing, pounding the hollows in wanton drift.

١٨. فَلأْياً بِلأْيٍ مَا تَوَلَّتْ حُدَاءَهُ
مُزَمْجِرَةٌ هَوْجَاءُ بِالْقَاعِ تَعْصِفُ

19. So he left us fair memory and gift—
Verdant meadows, provisions poured forth and heaped.

١٩. فَأَبْقَى لَنَا أَثْراً حَمِيداً وَنِعْمَةً
لَهَا مَسْحَبٌ نَضْرٌ وَجَيْبٌ مُفَوَّفُ

20. For that we refusal of thanks to him kept,
Though some men only of evil are deft.

٢٠. كَذَلِكَ مَا كُنَّا لِنَكْفُرَ صُنْعَهُ
عَلَى أَنَّ بَعْضَ النَّاسِ بِالشَّرِّ أَكْلَفُ