وَمَقيلِ عُفْرٍ زُرْتُهُ وَيَدُ الرَّدى

وَمَقيلِ عُفْرٍ زُرْتُهُ وَيَدُ الرَّدى

بَسَطَتْ أَنَامِلَها لِكي تَجْتاحَها

بَسَطَتْ أَنَامِلَها لِكي تَجْتاحَها

And many a noonday haunt of pale gazelles I visited, while the hand of death

In the dusk at Ufayr I visited, while the hand of fate

Stretched out its fingertips to sweep them away.

Spread its fingers to encompass it.

وَلَدَيَّ مَرْقومُ القَميصِ قَدِ احْتَمتْ

وَلَدَيَّ مَرْقومُ القَميصِ قَدِ احْتَمتْ

مِنْهُ بِأَكْثِبَةِ الحِمى فَأَبَاحَها

مِنْهُ بِأَكْثِبَةِ الحِمى فَأَبَاحَها

And at my side was one in a spotted tunic; they had taken refuge

And I had the imprint of the shirt clinging

From him among the preserve's sandhills, but he made them fair game.

To it with the tenacity of fever, subduing it.

وَفَلَلْتُ عَنْ بَقَرِ الصَّريمَةِ غَرْبَهُ

وَفَلَلْتُ عَنْ بَقَرِ الصَّريمَةِ غَرْبَهُ

وَالرُّعْبُ أَقْمَأَ بِاللِّوى أَشْباحَها

وَالرُّعْبُ أَقْمَأَ بِاللِّوى أَشْباحَها

And I blunted his edge, sparing the sand tract's wild cattle,

I turned away from the cows of Sarima in the west,

While terror shrank their forms amid the curving sands.

And terror had thinned its specters with anguish.

فَكَأَنَّها خَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ نَجَتْ

فَكَأَنَّها خَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ نَجَتْ

مِنْهُ نَواظِرَ لا تَكُفُّ طِماحَها

مِنْهُ نَواظِرَ لا تَكُفُّ طِماحَها

So it was as though they had bestowed upon him, when they escaped

It was as if she had cast a spell on it when she was rescued

From him, eyes that never cease their upward gazing;

From it by glances that would not cease their coveting.

وَتَحَوَّلَتْ نُقَطاً بِضاحِي جِلْدِهِ

وَتَحَوَّلَتْ نُقَطاً بِضاحِي جِلْدِهِ

حَتَّى وَقَتْ بِعُيونِها أَرْواحَها

حَتَّى وَقَتْ بِعُيونِها أَرْواحَها

And these became spots on the exposed surface of his hide,

And she transformed into drops on his shining skin

Until, with their eyes, they saved their lives.

Until she extinguished their souls with her eyes.