وَكَمand many a لَيلَةٍnight أَحلىsweeter مِنthan الأَمنsafety بتّهاI spent it
وَكَم لَيلَةٍ أَحلى مِن الأَمن بتّها
نَديميَmy drinking companion بَدرa full moon وَالرَحيقand the pure wine رِضابsweet saliva
نَديميَ بَدر وَالرَحيق رِضاب
And many a night, sweeter than safety, I have spent,
My drinking companion a full moon, the wine sweet saliva.
سَريتI journeyed by night إِلَيهِto him وَالسَماءand the sky كَأَنَّهاas though it were
سَريت إِلَيهِ وَالسَماء كَأَنَّها
غَديرa pool لَهُit has زَهرُradiant النُجومthe stars حَبابbubbles
غَدير لَهُ زَهرُ النُجوم حَباب
I journeyed to him by night, while the sky seemed
A pool whose bubbles were the radiant stars.
وَشَهبand meteors الدَراريthe brilliant stars تَخفقlash الجَوthe air وَالدُجاand the darkness
وَشَهب الدَراري تَخفق الجَو وَالدُجا
كَماjust as اِشتَجرتinterlocked يَومon the day of الهِياجbattle حِرابspears
كَما اِشتَجرت يَوم الهِياج حِراب
And meteors of the brilliant stars lashed the air and darkness,
As spears interlocked on the day of battle.
وَقَدand already مالَتhad leaned الجَوزاءOrion غرباًwestward وَأَوجفتand galloped
وَقَد مالَت الجَوزاء غرباً وَأَوجفت
لِطَعنto pierce الدُجاthe darkness خيلhorses وَزُمَّand were bridled ركابriding camels
لِطَعن الدُجا خيل وَزُمَّ ركاب
And Orion had leaned westward, and forth galloped
Horses to pierce the darkness, while riding camels were bridled.
كَأَنas though طُلوعthe rising of الشعريينthe two Dog Stars باثرهاin its wake
كَأَن طُلوع الشعريين باثرها
رَقيبa watchman بِاحدىin one of مُقلَتيهِhis two eyes مُصابwounded
رَقيب بِاحدى مُقلَتيهِ مُصاب
As though the rising of the two Dog Stars in its wake were
A watchman wounded in one of his eyes.
وَسَلَّتand unsheathed يَدthe hand of الاصباحmorning مُرهَفthe keen blade of فَجرهits dawn
وَسَلَّت يَد الاصباح مُرهَف فَجره
فَذلتso submitted رِقابthe necks of اللَيلthe night وَهِيَthough they were صِعابstubborn
فَذلت رِقاب اللَيل وَهِيَ صِعاب
And morning's hand unsheathed the keen blade of its dawn,
So the necks of night bowed, stubborn though they were.
وَقَلَصتand shrank back الظُلماءthe darkness وَاِرتاعand took fright سربهاits flock
وَقَلَصت الظُلماء وَاِرتاع سربها
كَماjust as طارَflew عَنaway from بَيضٍeggs أَكنit had sheltered غرابa crow
كَما طارَ عَن بَيضٍ أَكن غراب
And darkness shrank back, and its flock took fright,
As a crow flew from eggs it had sheltered.
Sol 6.1