كَمhow often قَدindeed تَجَهَّمَنيscowled at me السُرىnight travel وَأَزالَنيand drove me on
كَم قَد تَجَهَّمَني السُرى وَأَزالَني
لَيلٌa night يَنوءُbears down heavily بِصَدرِهِwith its breast مُتَطاوِلُlong-drawn-out
لَيلٌ يَنوءُ بِصَدرِهِ مُتَطاوِلُ
How often night travel has scowled at me, and I have been driven on
How the night journeys have wearied me, and displaced me,
by a long-drawn-out night bearing down with its breast!
A night leaning with its breast outstretched.
وَهَزَزتُand I shook أَعناقَnecks المَطِيِّthe riding camels أَسومُهاI urge them
وَهَزَزتُ أَعناقَ المَطِيِّ أَسومُها
قَصداًat a measured pace وَيَحجُبُهاand hides them السَوادُthe blackness الشامِلُall-enveloping
قَصداً وَيَحجُبُها السَوادُ الشامِلُ
And I shook the riding camels' necks, urging them
And I have prodded the necks of the riding-camels, urging them on,
at a measured pace, while all-enveloping blackness hid them,
While the all-encompassing darkness obscures them.
حَتّىuntil تَوَلّىwithdrew اللَيلُthe night ثانِيَturning عِطفِهِits flank
حَتّى تَوَلّى اللَيلُ ثانِيَ عِطفِهِ
وَكَأَنَّand as though آخِرَهُits end خِضابٌdye ناصِلُfading
وَكَأَنَّ آخِرَهُ خِضابٌ ناصِلُ
until the night withdrew, turning its flank,
Until the night turned its second shoulder,
and its end seemed like fading dye.
As if its latter part were dark dye.
وَخَرَجتُand I emerged مِنfrom أَعجازِهِits hindquarters وَكَأَنَّماand as though
وَخَرَجتُ مِن أَعجازِهِ وَكَأَنَّما
يَهتَزُّsways فيin بُردَيَّmy two cloaks رُمحٌa spear ذابِلُslender
يَهتَزُّ في بُردَيَّ رُمحٌ ذابِلُ
And I emerged from its hindquarters, as though
And I emerged from its rear, as though
a slender spear were swaying within my two cloaks.
A weak spear quivered in my cloak.
وَرَأَيتُand I saw أَغباشَdusky shades الدُجىthe night's darkness وَكَأَنَّهاand as though they were
وَرَأَيتُ أَغباشَ الدُجى وَكَأَنَّها
حِزَقُflocks النَعامِostriches ذُعِرنَthey were startled فَهيَso they are جَوافِلُfleeing headlong
حِزَقُ النَعامِ ذُعِرنَ فَهيَ جَوافِلُ
And I saw the dusky shades of night, as though they were
And I saw the gloom's motes, as if they were
flocks of ostriches, startled and now fleeing headlong.
The frightened ostriches' scattered plumage.
وَحَميتُand I shielded أَصحابيmy companions الكَرىsleep وَكَأَنَّهُمand as though they were
وَحَميتُ أَصحابي الكَرى وَكَأَنَّهُم
فَوقَatop القِلاصِthe young she-camels اليَعمَلاتِswift and hardy أَجادِلُfalcons
فَوقَ القِلاصِ اليَعمَلاتِ أَجادِلُ
And I kept my companions from sleep, as though they were
And I drove my companions' cavalry on, as though they were
falcons atop the swift, hardy young she-camels.
Arguing camel-riders atop working camels.
Sol 6.1