قَد أَغتَدي وَالصُبحُ مَشهورُ

قَد أَغتَدي وَالصُبحُ مَشهورُ

قَد طَلَعَت فيهِ التَباشيرُ

قَد طَلَعَت فيهِ التَباشيرُ

Sometimes I set out early, with the dawn plainly visible,

The morning shone bright and I was ready,

I venture forth while dawn is clearly bright,

its first gleams already risen within it,

Harbingers of dawn began to appear,

And morning's heralds rise to claim the light,

بِمُخطَفِ الأَيلُلِ في خَطمِهِ

بِمُخطَفِ الأَيلُلِ في خَطمِهِ

طولٌ وَفي شِدقَيهِ تَأخيرُ

طولٌ وَفي شِدقَيهِ تَأخيرُ

with a slender-flanked hound, whose muzzle

With the crescent moon still in its mouth,

On a lean-flanked steed with muzzle long and fine,

is long, and whose mouth corners are set far back.

Long but slowing in its career,

Whose deep-set jaws portray a noble line.

عَمَلَّسُ العَجزِ بَعيدُ الخُطى

عَمَلَّسُ العَجزِ بَعيدُ الخُطى

مُسَلجَمُ المَتنَينِ مِحضيرُ

مُسَلجَمُ المَتنَينِ مِحضيرُ

Powerful in the rump, with far-reaching strides,

The cripple advanced with labored gait,

Wolf-like of croup, his stride is long and vast,

long and slender along his back, a swift runner.

The python slithered forth from its lair,

With tapered back, a galloper unsurpassed.

حَتّى ذَعَرنا كُنُساً لَم يُصَب

حَتّى ذَعَرنا كُنُساً لَم يُصَب

بِها مِنَ الأَحداثِ مَقدورُ

بِها مِنَ الأَحداثِ مَقدورُ

Until we startled game sheltering in their lairs, not yet struck

Till we startled a flock unused to men,

We startled game within their covert lair,

by any calamity decreed by fate.

Or the vagaries of fate they bear,

Unscathed by fate, unaware of the snare.

اِقتَرَنَت مِن خَشيَةِ لِلرَدى

اِقتَرَنَت مِن خَشيَةِ لِلرَدى

عَفَّرَها في النَقعِ زُنبورُ

عَفَّرَها في النَقعِ زُنبورُ

They huddled together in fear of death;

Huddling together in their alarm,

They clustered close in terror of the thrust,

Zunbur rolled them in the dust.

A wasp descended on them there,

Till this stinging hornet rolled them in the dust.

كَأَنَّهُ سَهمٌ إِلى غايَةٍ

كَأَنَّهُ سَهمٌ إِلى غايَةٍ

أَو كَوكَبٌ في الأُفقِ مَحدورُ

أَو كَوكَبٌ في الأُفقِ مَحدورُ

As though he were an arrow toward a target,

Like an arrow shot true to its mark,

As swift as any arrow seeks its aim,

or a star hurled downward on the horizon.

Or a planet traversing the air,

Or falling star descends in trailing flame.

فَحانَ مِنها قَرهَبٌ عُفِّرَت

فَحانَ مِنها قَرهَبٌ عُفِّرَت

مِن بَعدِهِ عَنزٌ يَيَعفورُ

مِن بَعدِهِ عَنزٌ يَيَعفورُ

Then an old bull among them perished; rolled in the dust

A lamb separated from the herd,

An ancient bull was slain and cast aside,

after him were a she-gazelle and a fawn.

Bleating piteously in despair,

Then doe and fawn fell swiftly and they died.

حَتّى إِذا والى لَنا أَربَعاً

حَتّى إِذا والى لَنا أَربَعاً

وَاِثنَينِ وَالمَجهودُ مَوفورُ

وَاِثنَينِ وَالمَجهودُ مَوفورُ

Until, when he had brought us four in succession,

Until adding four and two in the count,

Till four he had subdued and brought to hand,

and two more, the hard-worked hound still unspent,

Our labors at last bore fruit to share,

And two besides, yet strength he could command.

رُحنا بِهِ نَنضَحُ أَعطافَهُ

رُحنا بِهِ نَنضَحُ أَعطافَهُ

وَهوَ بِما أَولاهُ مَشكورُ

وَهوَ بِما أَولاهُ مَشكورُ

we went back with him, sprinkling his flanks,

We sprinkled their sides as reward for the debt,

We turned him home, cooling his fevered hide,

and he was thanked for what he had bestowed.

Thankful for bounty they did not spare,

Praising the bounty that his speed supplied.

رُحنا بِهِ في تُربَةٍ إِذ أَتَت

رُحنا بِهِ في تُربَةٍ إِذ أَتَت

وَمِثلُهُ لِلجُهدِ مَذخورُ

وَمِثلُهُ لِلجُهدِ مَذخورُ

We went back with him on a stretch of earth, when it came,

We left with enough, and more to spare,

We brought him back, though dust lay on his frame,

and his like is kept in reserve for hard work.

Preserved gain for efforts we dare.

A treasure kept for trials of greatest name.