وَأَعرابِيَّةٌand a Bedouin woman تَرتادُshe seeks زاداًprovisions
وَأَعرابِيَّةٌ تَرتادُ زاداً
فَتَمرُقُthen she darts مِنfrom بِلادٍlands فيinto بِلادِlands
فَتَمرُقُ مِن بِلادٍ في بِلادِ
And a Bedouin woman seeks provisions,
A Bedouin woman travels for provisions,
then darts from land to land.
Roaming from land to land.
غَدَتshe set out تَمشيshe walks بِمِنشارٍwith a saw كَليلٍblunt
غَدَت تَمشي بِمِنشارٍ كَليلٍ
تَبوعُshe paces out بِهِwith it قَرارَةَthe bottom of كُلِّevery واديvalley
تَبوعُ بِهِ قَرارَةَ كُلِّ وادي
She set out walking with a blunt saw,
She walks with a slender saw,
with which she paces out the bottom of every valley.
Following it through every valley.
وَتَنشُرُand she spreads فيin الهَواءِthe air رِداءَa cloak شُربٍfine linen
وَتَنشُرُ في الهَواءِ رِداءَ شُربٍ
عَلىon أَرجائِهِits edges نُقَطَspots المِدادِink
عَلى أَرجائِهِ نُقَطَ المِدادِ
And she spreads a cloak of fine linen in the air,
She spreads out a cloak of fine fabric in the air
with spots of ink along its edges.
Ink dots spattered over its hems.
وَتَلبِسُand she wears تَحتَbeneath ذاكَthat عِطافَa mantle لاذٍred silk
وَتَلبِسُ تَحتَ ذاكَ عِطافَ لاذٍ
عَلىon أَكتافِهِits shoulders وَدَعَcowrie shells الجِسادِsaffron dye
عَلى أَكتافِهِ وَدَعَ الجِسادِ
And beneath that she wears a mantle of red silk,
Underneath she wears a soft veil
with cowries of saffron dye upon its shoulders.
Draped over her shoulders, barely clothing her body.
Sol 6.1