ومجدولة حمرا يخيل متنها

ومجدولة حمرا يخيل متنها

من النقس روض ما يغذي بوابل

من النقس روض ما يغذي بوابل

And a red, braided one—her back is made to seem

And a red, braided one, whose surface seems

by its painted design a garden no downpour nourishes.

a meadow of ink, nourished by no downpour.

ترى كل يوم حاملا بأجنة

ترى كل يوم حاملا بأجنة

ولوداً لهم من غير مس قوابل

ولوداً لهم من غير مس قوابل

Each day you see her pregnant with embryos,

You see her every day pregnant with embryos,

prolific in bearing them, untouched by midwives.

a prolific mother to them, without a midwife's touch.

فأولادها ما بين أسمر ذابل

فأولادها ما بين أسمر ذابل

بأحشائها أو بين أبيض ناصل

بأحشائها أو بين أبيض ناصل

Her offspring are either a slender brown one

So her offspring are either brown and slender

within her innards, or a white one, unsheathed.

within her belly, or white and bladed.

تسدد منها السمر لا لمحارب

تسدد منها السمر لا لمحارب

وترهف منها البيض لا لمقاتل

وترهف منها البيض لا لمقاتل

From her the brown ones are straightened—not for a warrior;

The brown ones from her are aimed—not for a warrior;

and from her the white ones are honed—not for a fighter.

and the white ones from her are honed—not for a fighter.

فلا السمر منها اعتدن حمل عوامل

فلا السمر منها اعتدن حمل عوامل

ولا البيض منها اعتدن حمل حمائل

ولا البيض منها اعتدن حمل حمائل

For her brown ones have never been accustomed to bearing spear fittings,

So the brown ones from her are not accustomed to bearing spear-tips,

nor her white ones to bearing sword-belts.

nor are the white ones from her accustomed to bearing sword-belts.