سَقى الرَبابَ مُجَلجِلُ ال

سَقى الرَبابَ مُجَلجِلُ ال

أَكنافِ لَمّاحٌ بُروقُه

أَكنافِ لَمّاحٌ بُروقُه

May al-Rabab be watered by a cloud with thunderous—

The pitcher rumbling with thunder

flanks and brightly flashing lightning,

Froth foaming in its flashes

جَونٌ تُكَركِرُهُ الصَبا

جَونٌ تُكَركِرُهُ الصَبا

وَهناً وَتَمريهِ خَريقُه

وَهناً وَتَمريهِ خَريقُه

dark, rolled along by the east wind

Passion swirling with the breeze

at night, its fierce wind milking it

Its handle creaking, gurgling as it pours

مَريَ العَسيفِ عِشارَهُ

مَريَ العَسيفِ عِشارَهُ

حَتّى إِذا دَرَّت عُروقُه

حَتّى إِذا دَرَّت عُروقُه

as a hired hand milks his pregnant she-camels,

It marched the barren valley’s expanse

until, when its veins flow freely,

Until its tendrils trickled forth

وَدَنا يُضيءُ صُبابُهُ

وَدَنا يُضيءُ صُبابُهُ

غاباً يُضَرِّمُهُ حَريقُه

غاباً يُضَرِّمُهُ حَريقُه

and it draws near, its pouring rain aglow,

And nearing, its spout glowed

like a forest kindled by its blaze;

Only to vanish, its flames extinguished

حَتّى إِذا ما ذَرعُهُ

حَتّى إِذا ما ذَرعُهُ

بِالماءِ ضاقَ فَما يُطيقُه

بِالماءِ ضاقَ فَما يُطيقُه

until, when its capacity

Until, once filled up

is overtaxed by water and it can bear it no longer,

With water, it could take no more

هَبَّت لَهُ مِن خَلفِهِ

هَبَّت لَهُ مِن خَلفِهِ

ريحٌ يَمانِيَةٌ تَسوقُه

ريحٌ يَمانِيَةٌ تَسوقُه

there rises behind it

Behind it, a hot wind blew south

a Yemeni wind, driving it on.

Speeding its staggering, faltering course

حَلَّت عَزالِيَهُ الجَنوبُ

حَلَّت عَزالِيَهُ الجَنوبُ

فَثَجَّ واهِيَةً خُروقُه

فَثَجَّ واهِيَةً خُروقُه

The south wind unfastens its spouts,

The southern gale assailed its solitude

and it gushes, its openings gaping wide.

And it collapsed, broken, awry