سَرَوا يَخبطونَ اللَيلَ فَوقَ ظُهورِها

سَرَوا يَخبطونَ اللَيلَ فَوقَ ظُهورِها

إِلى أَن بَدا قَرنٌ مِنَ الليل أَبلَجُ

إِلى أَن بَدا قَرنٌ مِنَ الليل أَبلَجُ

They journeyed by night, plunging through the night upon their mounts’ backs,

They traveled by night, striking through the darkness upon their backs,

Cypress trees batter the night atop its back

until a bright horn of the night appeared.

Until a bright horn of night appeared.

Until the night’s horn shone bright and pale

وأَضحَوا وبَعضٌ ما يُقيمُ لِسانه

وأَضحَوا وبَعضٌ ما يُقيمُ لِسانه

وَبعضٌ إِذا ما حاولَ المشي يَعرُجُ

وَبعضٌ إِذا ما حاولَ المشي يَعرُجُ

And morning found them—some could not hold his tongue straight,

And morning found them: some could not straighten their tongues,

And morning came, some unable to move their tongue

and some, when he tried to walk, would limp.

And some limped whenever they tried to walk.

Others limp as they try to walk the trail