عُجنا المَطِيَّ وَنَحنُ تَحتَ الحاجِرِ

عُجنا المَطِيَّ وَنَحنُ تَحتَ الحاجِرِ

بَينَ الأَبارِقِ وَالسَبيلِ الغامِرِ

بَينَ الأَبارِقِ وَالسَبيلِ الغامِرِ

We turned the riding camels aside while we were below al-Hajir,

We rode while the rain poured down

Between al-Abariq and the flooded road.

Beneath overcast skies and showers

وَإِذا بِداهِيَةٍ كَأَنَّ حَفيفَها

وَإِذا بِداهِيَةٍ كَأَنَّ حَفيفَها

بَينَ الثُمامِ حَفيفُ لَيثٍ خادِرِ

بَينَ الثُمامِ حَفيفُ لَيثٍ خادِرِ

And suddenly, a terror, whose rustling was like,

When suddenly a gazelle appeared

Among the thumam grass, the rustling of a lion in its lair.

Her footsteps amid the grass were like those of a prowling lion

صَمّاءَ لَو نَفَخَت ثَبيراً نَفخَةً

صَمّاءَ لَو نَفَخَت ثَبيراً نَفخَةً

لِاِنساحَ أَو لَهَوى هُوِيَّ الطائِرِ

لِاِنساحَ أَو لَهَوى هُوِيَّ الطائِرِ

A deaf serpent—had it breathed a single breath upon Thabir,

Had she blew a breath into the dust

It would have melted away, or plunged as a bird plunges.

It would have flown like a bird takes flight

فَدَعَوتُ وَحشاً فَاِستَجابَ فَلَم نَجِد

فَدَعَوتُ وَحشاً فَاِستَجابَ فَلَم نَجِد

لِلأَمرِ عِزّاً مثلَ قُربِ الناصِرِ

لِلأَمرِ عِزّاً مثلَ قُربِ الناصِرِ

So I called Wahsh, who responded; we found no

I called out to the beast and it responded

Strength for the ordeal like the nearness of a helper.

But found no help like that of a loyal ally

وَسَمَت إِلَيَّ فَبادَرَتها ضَربَةٌ

وَسَمَت إِلَيَّ فَبادَرَتها ضَربَةٌ

تَرَكَت مَعالِمَها كَرَسمٍ دائِرِ

تَرَكَت مَعالِمَها كَرَسمٍ دائِرِ

And it reared toward me, but a blow forestalled it,

As she charged at me, I struck her a blow

Leaving its features like an effaced trace.

That left her features a fading circle