قفْstop بالخليجby the canal فإنهfor it is
قفْ بالخليج فإنه
أشهىmost delightful بقاعplaces الأرضthe earth ربعاas a dwelling place
أشهى بقاع الأرض ربعا
Stop by the canal, for it is
Stand by the gulf, for it is
The most delightful place on earth to dwell.
The most delightful place on earth by far
رقصتdanced لهfor it الأغصانthe branches إذwhen
رقصت له الأغصان إذ
أثنىpraised الحمامthe doves عليهof it سجعاًwith cooing
أثنى الحمام عليه سجعاً
The branches danced for it when
The branches danced for it
The doves praised it with their cooing.
When the dove praised it with rhyming couplets
متعطفwinding كالأيمlike a serpent ذعراin terror
متعطف كالأيم ذعرا
حينwhen خيفwas frightened فضاقand grew constrained ذرعاin capacity to cope
حين خيف فضاق ذرعا
It winds like a serpent in terror
Swaying like a frightened mother
When frightened and sorely distressed.
When scared and distraught with worry
وإذاand when تمرُّpasses بهover it الصباthe east wind
وإذا تمرُّ به الصبا
فأطربْthen rejoice لسيفٍin a sword صارbecame درعاa coat of mail
فأطربْ لسيفٍ صار درعا
And when the east wind passes over it,
And when the morning breeze passes by it
Then delight in a sword that has become a coat of mail.
It excites, like a sword that became armor
متبارياتracing one another سفنهُits boats
متباريات سفنهُ
خفضاًdipping down براكبهاwith their rider ورفعاًand rising up
خفضاً براكبها ورفعاً
Its boats race one another,
Its competing ships
Dipping and rising with their riders.
Lowering then raising their passengers
مثلlike العقاربthe scorpions أقبلتْcame forward
مثل العقارب أقبلتْ
فوقover الأراقمthe speckled serpents وهيwhile they تسعىmove along
فوق الأراقم وهي تسعى
Like scorpions they came forward
Like scorpions they approached
Over speckled serpents, moving along.
Above the sand dunes as they raced
Sol 6.1