وضمّنتُهاand I placed within it كعُقابlike an eagle الظلامِof darkness
وضمّنتُها كعُقاب الظلامِ
جَوْنةَdark-hued فُلْكa ship بهاupon it تَرْفُلُmoves proudly
جَوْنةَ فُلْك بها تَرْفُلُ
And I set within it, like an eagle of darkness,
And I made her like the darkness of night
a dark-hued ship that sweeps proudly upon it.
A boat's hull in which luxury sails
فلاthen (start of فلاحت) حتappeared (end of فلاحت) بدجلةَon the Tigris مُرْقَدةًsent racing
فلا حت بدجلةَ مُرْقَدةً
كماjust as ذُعِرَwas startled النِقْنِقُthe male ostrich المجفلُfleeing in alarm
كما ذُعِرَ النِقْنِقُ المجفلُ
Then she appeared on the Tigris, sent racing,
So she flowed not like the Tigris at rest
like a startled, bolting male ostrich.
As the starling was startled and fluttered
وكادand nearly يطيّرهاsends her flying بالفضاءthrough the open air
وكاد يطيّرها بالفضاء
شراعُa sail مرتْmilked دَرَّهits abundant flow الأحبلُthe ropes
شراعُ مرتْ دَرَّه الأحبلُ
And she was almost sent flying through the open air
And her sail almost flew her through space
by a sail whose yield the ropes had milked.
When the ropes were slackened and hung
كأنّas though هماهمlow rumblings حَيزُومِهاher breast (bow)
كأنّ هماهم حَيزُومِها
هديرُthe bellowing القُرومthe bull camels بهاin them أفكَلُa shudder
هديرُ القُروم بها أفكَلُ
As though the low rumblings of her breast
As if their care was her pitched ceiling
were the bellowing of bull camels seized by a shudder.
The clatter of oars which grazed her side
إذاwhen البغيُwaywardness أعندهاmakes her stray فيon المسيرِthe voyage
إذا البغيُ أعندها في المسيرِ
تلاقيconfronts بهاwith her قُلّبُa shrewd man حُوّلُresourceful
تلاقي بها قُلّبُ حُوّلُ
When waywardness makes her stray on her voyage,
When the wicked taunt her on her course
a shrewd, resourceful man takes her in hand.
She meets with him who twists and turns
يقوّمهاsets her straight جورُthe deflection سُكّانِهاher rudder
يقوّمها جورُ سُكّانِها
إذاwhen هيshe عنfrom قَصْدِهاher intended course تَعدِلُveers away
إذا هي عن قَصْدِها تَعدِلُ
Her rudder’s crooked turn sets her straight,
Her people's tyranny keeps her on track
when she veers away from her intended course.
When she strays from the path she rights herself
فأفضَىthen bore forth بهاwith her متنُthe back مغروربٍa brimming river
فأفضَى بها متنُ مغروربٍ
يساميrivals in height غَوارِبَهُits wave-crests أشكَلُreddish-white water
يسامي غَوارِبَهُ أشكَلُ
Then the back of a brimming river bore her forth,
So a vain ship's hull flowed out
while reddish-white water rivaled its wave-crests.
Raising up waves crested and dark
كأنّas though تلاطمthe clashing آذّيهits surging waves
كأنّ تلاطم آذّيه
رباطa band لهاfor her هُدَبُfringes مُخْمَلُvelvety
رباط لها هُدَبُ مُخْمَلُ
As though the clashing of its surging waves
As if the pounding of harm upon her
were a band around her, with velvety fringes.
Were ropes and cushions of velvet
Sol 6.1