ياO أَهلِmy people ماwhat بالُcondition هَذاthis اللَيلِnight فيin صَفَرِSafar
يا أَهلِ ما بالُ هَذا اللَيلِ في صَفَرِ
يَزدادُincreases طولاًin length وَماand not يَزدادُincreases مِنin قِصَرِshortness
يَزدادُ طولاً وَما يَزدادُ مِن قِصَرِ
O my people, what ails this night in Safar?
It grows longer, and never any shorter.
فيin إِثرِthe wake of ماwhen قُطِّعَتwas torn away مِنّيfrom me قَرينَتُهُits companion
في إِثرِ ما قُطِّعَت مِنّي قَرينَتُهُ
يَومَon the day of الحَدالىal-Hadala بِأَسبابٍby cords مِنَof القَدَرِfate
يَومَ الحَدالى بِأَسبابٍ مِنَ القَدَرِ
After its companion was torn away from me
on the day of al-Hadala, by the cords of fate.
كَأَنَّماas though شُقَّwas split قَلبيmy heart يَومَthe day فارَقَهُمit parted from them
كَأَنَّما شُقَّ قَلبي يَومَ فارَقَهُم
قِسمَينِinto two halves بَينَbetween أَخيa man of نَجدٍNajd وَمُنحَدِرِand one descending
قِسمَينِ بَينَ أَخي نَجدٍ وَمُنحَدِرِ
As though my heart, the day it parted from them, was split
in two, between a man of Najd and one descending.
هُمُthey الأَحِبَّةَthe beloved أَبكيI weep اليَومَtoday إِثرَهُمُafter them
هُمُ الأَحِبَّةَ أَبكي اليَومَ إِثرَهُمُ
قَدindeed كُنتُI used to أَطرَبُyearn إِثرَafter الجيرَةِthe neighbors الشُطُرِfar away
قَد كُنتُ أَطرَبُ إِثرَ الجيرَةِ الشُطُرِ
They are the beloved; today I weep after them.
I once yearned after neighbors far away.
فَقُلتُso I said وَالحُرَّةُand the lava-field الرَجلاءُrugged دونَهُمُbetween me and them
فَقُلتُ وَالحُرَّةُ الرَجلاءُ دونَهُمُ
وَبَطنُand the valley of لَجّانَLajjan لَمّاwhen اِعتادَنيreturned to me ذِكَريmy remembrance
وَبَطنُ لَجّانَ لَمّا اِعتادَني ذِكَري
So I said, with the rugged lava-field between me and them,
and the valley of Lajjan, when remembrance returned to me:
صَلّىmay bless عَلىupon عَزَّةَ'Azza الرَحمانُthe Merciful وَاِبنَتِهاand her daughter
صَلّى عَلى عَزَّةَ الرَحمانُ وَاِبنَتِها
لَيلىLayla وَصَلّىand may bless عَلىupon جاراتِهاher female neighbors الأُخَرِthe others
لَيلى وَصَلّى عَلى جاراتِها الأُخَرِ
May the Merciful bless 'Azza and her daughter,
Layla, and bless her other female neighbors.
هُنَّthey (female) الحَرائِرُthe freeborn women لاnot رَبّاتَmistresses of أَحمِرَةٍasses
هُنَّ الحَرائِرُ لا رَبّاتَ أَحمِرَةٍ
سودُdark المَحاجِرِof eye-sockets لاnot يَقرَأنَthey (female) recite بِالسُوَرِfrom the surahs
سودُ المَحاجِرِ لا يَقرَأنَ بِالسُوَرِ
They are freeborn ladies, not mistresses of asses—
black about the eye-sockets, who recite no surahs.
وارَينَthey concealed وَحفاًthick hair رِواءًluxuriant فيin أَكِمَّتِهِits coverings
وارَينَ وَحفاً رِواءً في أَكِمَّتِهِ
مِنfrom كَومِthe tall palms of دَومَةَDuma بَينَbetween السيحِthe watercourses وَالجُدُرِand the walls
مِن كَومِ دَومَةَ بَينَ السيحِ وَالجُدُرِ
They hide thick, luxuriant locks within their coverings,
like Duma's towering palms between channels and walls.
تَلقىyou find نَواطيرَهُits watchmen فيat كُلِّevery مَرقَبَةٍlookout
تَلقى نَواطيرَهُ في كُلِّ مَرقَبَةٍ
يَرمونَthey shoot عَنto protect وارِدِdrooping الأَفنانِthe branches مُنهَصِرِbent down
يَرمونَ عَن وارِدِ الأَفنانِ مُنهَصِرِ
You find their watchmen on every lookout,
shooting to protect the drooping, down-bent branches.
يَسبينَthey captivate قَلبيmy heart بِأَطرافٍwith fingertips مُخَضَّبَةٍdyed
يَسبينَ قَلبي بِأَطرافٍ مُخَضَّبَةٍ
وَبِالعُيونِand with the eyes وَماand what وارَينَthey concealed بِالخُمُرِwith the veils
وَبِالعُيونِ وَما وارَينَ بِالخُمُرِ
They capture my heart with dyed fingertips,
with their eyes, and what they conceal beneath the veils,
عَلىupon تَرائِبِthe breastbones of غِزلانٍgazelles مُفاجَأَةٍtaken unawares
عَلى تَرائِبِ غِزلانٍ مُفاجَأَةٍ
ريعَتwere startled فَأَقبَلنَthen they turned toward بِالأَعناقِwith the necks وَالعُذَرِand the cheek-tufts
ريعَت فَأَقبَلنَ بِالأَعناقِ وَالعُذَرِ
over the breastbones of gazelles taken unawares,
startled, then turning with their necks and cheek-tufts.
لاmay not تَعمَgo blind أَعيُنُthe eyes of أَصحابٍcompanions أَقولُI say لَهُمto them
لا تَعمَ أَعيُنُ أَصحابٍ أَقولُ لَهُم
بِالأَنبَطِat al-Anbat الفَردِsolitary لَمّاwhen بَذَّهُمoutstripped them بَصَريmy eyesight
بِالأَنبَطِ الفَردِ لَمّا بَذَّهُم بَصَري
May my companions' eyes not go blind, as I say to them
at solitary al-Anbat, when my sight outstripped theirs:
هَلdo تُؤنِسونَyou make out بِأَعلىat the upper part of عاسِمٍ'Asim ظُعُناًhowdah-borne women
هَل تُؤنِسونَ بِأَعلى عاسِمٍ ظُعُناً
وَرَّكنَthey left to one side فَحلَينِFahlayn وَاِستَقبَلنَand faced ذاDhu بَقَرِBaqar
وَرَّكنَ فَحلَينِ وَاِستَقبَلنَ ذا بَقَرِ
Do you make out, high on 'Asim, women in their howdahs,
who left Fahlayn to one side and faced Dhu Baqar?
بَيَّنَهُنَّit distinguished them بِبَينٍwith clarity ماnot يُبَيِّنُهُdiscern it
بَيَّنَهُنَّ بِبَينٍ ما يُبَيِّنُهُ
صَحبيmy comrades وَماand no بِعُيونِin the eyes of القَومِthe company مِنany عَوَرِdefect
صَحبي وَما بِعُيونِ القَومِ مِن عَوَرِ
It made them out with a clarity unmatched
by my comrades, though their eyes have no defect.
يَبدونَthey appear حيناًat times وَأَحياناًand at times يُغَيِّبُهُمhide them
يَبدونَ حيناً وَأَحياناً يُغَيِّبُهُم
مِنّيfrom me مَكامِنُhollows بَينَbetween الجَرِّal-Jarr وَالحَفَرِand al-Hafar
مِنّي مَكامِنُ بَينَ الجَرِّ وَالحَفَرِ
They appear at times; at others they are hidden
from me by hollows between al-Jarr and al-Hafar.
تَحدوurge onward with song بِهِمthem onward نَبَطٌNabataeans صُهبٌtawny سِبالُهُمُtheir moustaches
تَحدو بِهِم نَبَطٌ صُهبٌ سِبالُهُمُ
مِنfrom كُلِّevery أَحمَرَruddy man مِنfrom حَورانَHauran مُؤتَجَرِhired
مِن كُلِّ أَحمَرَ مِن حَورانَ مُؤتَجَرِ
Nabataeans urge them onward, their moustaches tawny,
hired, ruddy men, each one from Hauran.
عَومَlike the gliding of السَفينِships عَلىupon بُختٍBactrian camels مُخَيَّسَةٍtrained
عَومَ السَفينِ عَلى بُختٍ مُخَيَّسَةٍ
وَالبُختُand the Bactrians كاسِيَةُhair-covered الأَعجازِthe rumps وَالقَصَرِand the neck-bases
وَالبُختُ كاسِيَةُ الأَعجازِ وَالقَصَرِ
They glide like ships upon trained Bactrian camels,
the Bactrians shaggy about their rumps and necks.
كَأَنَّas though رِزَّthe murmur of حُداةٍcamel-drivers فيalong طَوائِفِهِمtheir flanks
كَأَنَّ رِزَّ حُداةٍ في طَوائِفِهِم
نَوحَthe lament of الحَمامِdoves يُغَنّيsings غايَةَa thicket of العُشَرِmilkweed
نَوحَ الحَمامِ يُغَنّي غايَةَ العُشَرِ
The murmur of the drivers along their flanks seems
the doves' lament, singing in a milkweed thicket.
أَتبَعتُI followed آثارَهُمtheir tracks عَيناًwith an eye مُعَوَّدَةًaccustomed
أَتبَعتُ آثارَهُم عَيناً مُعَوَّدَةً
سَبقَto outstripping العُيونِthe eyes إِذاwhen اِستُكرِهنَthey are strained بِالنَظَرِto look
سَبقَ العُيونِ إِذا اِستُكرِهنَ بِالنَظَرِ
I followed their tracks with an eye accustomed
to outstripping other eyes when strained to look.
وَبازِلٍand a mature she-camel كَعَلاةِlike the anvil of القَينِthe smith دَوسَرَةٍmassive
وَبازِلٍ كَعَلاةِ القَينِ دَوسَرَةٍ
لَمnot يُجذِchafe مِرفَقُهاher elbow فيagainst الدَفِّthe flank مِنfrom زَوَرِinward crookedness
لَم يُجذِ مِرفَقُها في الدَفِّ مِن زَوَرِ
And a mature she-camel, massive as a smith's anvil,
whose elbow never chafed her flank through an inward bend.
كَأَنَّهاas though she ناشِطٌa roaming wild bull حُرٌّclear مَدامِعُهُhis eye-corners
كَأَنَّها ناشِطٌ حُرٌّ مَدامِعُهُ
مِنfrom وَحشِthe wild herds of جِبرانَJibran بَينَbetween القِنعِthe sandy hollow وَالضَفَرِand the ridges
مِن وَحشِ جِبرانَ بَينَ القِنعِ وَالضَفَرِ
As though she were a roaming wild bull, clear about the eyes,
of Jibran's wild herds, between the sandy hollow and the ridges.
باتَhe spent the night إِلىbeside هَدَفٍa mound فيin a night of لَيلِa passing raincloud سارِيَةٍline_44
باتَ إِلى هَدَفٍ في لَيلِ سارِيَةٍ
يَغشىpresses into العِضاهَthe thorn trees بِرَوقٍwith a horn غَيرِnot مُنكَسِرِbroken
يَغشى العِضاهَ بِرَوقٍ غَيرِ مُنكَسِرِ
He spent the night beside a mound, beneath a passing raincloud,
pressing into the thorn trees with an unbroken horn.
يُخاوِشُhe shifts aside البَركَthe breast عَنaway from عِرقٍa root أَضَرَّhurt بِهِhim
يُخاوِشُ البَركَ عَن عِرقٍ أَضَرَّ بِهِ
تَجافِياًdrawing away كَتَجافيlike the drawing away of القَرمِthe breeding camel ذيhaving السَرَرِbreast sores
تَجافِياً كَتَجافي القَرمِ ذي السَرَرِ
He shifts his breast away from a root that hurts him,
drawing away like a breeding camel with a galled chest.
إِذاwhenever أَتىhe approaches جانِباًa side مِنهاof them يُصَرِّفُهُturns him away
إِذا أَتى جانِباً مِنها يُصَرِّفُهُ
تَصَفُّقُthe buffeting of الريحِthe wind تَحتَbeneath الديمَةِthe steady rain الدِرَرِcopiously pouring
تَصَفُّقُ الريحِ تَحتَ الديمَةِ الدِرَرِ
Whenever he approaches one side of them, he is driven away
by the wind's buffeting beneath the steady, pouring rain.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen إِنجَلَتcleared عَنهُfrom him عَمايَتُهُhis obscurity
حَتّى إِذا إِنجَلَت عَنهُ عَمايَتُهُ
وَقَلَّصَand withdrew اللَيلُthe night عَنfrom طَيّانَa hungry creature مُضطَمِرِlean-bodied
وَقَلَّصَ اللَيلُ عَن طَيّانَ مُضطَمِرِ
Until, when the obscurity around him cleared,
and night withdrew from that hungry, lean creature,
غَداhe set out كَطالِبِlike a seeker of تَبلٍvengeance لاnot يُوَرِّعُهُdeters him
غَدا كَطالِبِ تَبلٍ لا يُوَرِّعُهُ
دُعاءُthe cry of داعٍa caller وَلاand not يَلويturn aside عَلىfor خَبَرِnews
دُعاءُ داعٍ وَلا يَلوي عَلى خَبَرِ
he set out like a seeker of vengeance, undeterred
by a caller's cry, turning aside for no news.
فَصَبَّحَتهُthen came upon him at dawn كِلابُthe dogs of الغَوثِal-Ghawth يُؤسِدُهاurging them on
فَصَبَّحَتهُ كِلابُ الغَوثِ يُؤسِدُها
مُستَوضِحونَmen seeking a clear view يَرَونَthey see العَينَthe beast itself كَالأَثَرِlike the track
مُستَوضِحونَ يَرَونَ العَينَ كَالأَثَرِ
Al-Ghawth's dogs came upon him at dawn, urged on
by men seeking a clear view, seeing the beast as they see its track.
أَوجَسَhe sensed بِالأُذنِwith the ear رِزّاًa faint sound مِنfrom سَوابِقِهاtheir foremost runners
أَوجَسَ بِالأُذنِ رِزّاً مِن سَوابِقِها
فَجالَthen darted أَزهَرُa white beast مَذعورٌterrified مِنَfrom الخَمَرِthe cover
فَجالَ أَزهَرُ مَذعورٌ مِنَ الخَمَرِ
His ear caught a faint sound from the foremost of them,
and the white beast darted, terrified, from the cover.
وَاِجتازَand crossed لِلعُدوَةِto the valley-side القُصوىfarther وَقَدand already لَحِقَتhad caught up
وَاِجتازَ لِلعُدوَةِ القُصوى وَقَد لَحِقَت
غُضفٌlop-eared hounds تَكَشَّفُunveils عَنهاthem بُلجَةُthe pale light of السَحَرِpredawn
غُضفٌ تَكَشَّفُ عَنها بُلجَةُ السَحَرِ
He crossed to the farther slope, already overtaken
by lop-eared hounds, revealed by the pale light before dawn.
فَكَرَّthen he wheeled back ذوa possessor of حَوزَةٍa defended domain يَحميprotecting حَقيقَتَهُwhat is his to defend
فَكَرَّ ذو حَوزَةٍ يَحمي حَقيقَتَهُ
كَصاحِبِlike the owner of البَزِّcloth merchandise مِنfrom حَورانَHauran مُنتَصِرِfighting back
كَصاحِبِ البَزِّ مِن حَورانَ مُنتَصِرِ
Then he wheeled, a lord of his ground defending his own,
like a cloth merchant from Hauran fighting back.
فَظَلَّthen remained سابِقُهاtheir swiftest فيin الرَوضِthe meadow مُعتَرِضاًstretched across
فَظَلَّ سابِقُها في الرَوضِ مُعتَرِضاً
كَالشَنِّlike an old waterskin لاقىmet قَناةَthe spear of اللاعِبِthe player الأَشِرِreckless
كَالشَنِّ لاقى قَناةَ اللاعِبِ الأَشِرِ
Their swiftest lay stretched across the meadow,
like an old waterskin struck by a reckless player's spear.
فَرَدَّهاthen he drove them back ظُلُعاًlimping تَدمىbleeding فَرائِصُهاtheir shoulder-muscles
فَرَدَّها ظُلُعاً تَدمى فَرائِصُها
لَمnot تُدمَwas blood drawn فيهِfrom him بِأَنيابٍwith fangs وَلاand no ظُفُرِclaw
لَم تُدمَ فيهِ بِأَنيابٍ وَلا ظُفُرِ
He drove them back limping, their shoulder-muscles bleeding;
no fang or claw had drawn blood from him.
فَظَلَّthen he continued يَعلوclimbing لِوىthe curved sands of دِهقانَDihqan مُعتَرِضاًcrosswise
فَظَلَّ يَعلو لِوى دِهقانَ مُعتَرِضاً
يَرديbounding وَأَظلافُهُand his cloven hooves صُفرٌyellow مِنَfrom الزَهَرِthe flowers
يَردي وَأَظلافُهُ صُفرٌ مِنَ الزَهَرِ
Then he kept crossing the curved sands of Dihqan,
bounding, his cloven hooves yellow with flowers.
أَذاكَis it that أَمor مِسحَلٌa male wild ass جَونٌdark بِهِon him جُلَبٌscabs
أَذاكَ أَم مِسحَلٌ جَونٌ بِهِ جُلَبٌ
مِنَfrom الكِدامِbiting فَلاand not عَنfrom قُرَّحٍmature she-asses نُزُرِfew
مِنَ الكِدامِ فَلا عَن قُرَّحٍ نُزُرِ
Is it that beast, or a dark wild ass bearing scabs
from bites—not from a scant few full-grown mares,
قُبِّslender البُطونِthe bellies نَفىdrove off سِربالَthe coat of شِقوَتِهاtheir hardship
قُبِّ البُطونِ نَفى سِربالَ شِقوَتِها
سِربالُa coat of صَيفٍsummer رَقيقٍfine لَيِّنُsoft الشَعَرِthe hair
سِربالُ صَيفٍ رَقيقٍ لَيِّنُ الشَعَرِ
slender-bellied, whose coat of hardship was driven off
by a fine summer coat, soft of hair?
لَمnot يَبرِwear down جَبلَتَهاtheir natural build حَملٌpregnancy تُتابِعُهُthey bear successively
لَم يَبرِ جَبلَتَها حَملٌ تُتابِعُهُ
بَعدَafter اللِطامِmating وَلَمand not يَغلُظنَthey grow heavy مِنfrom عُقُرِbarrenness
بَعدَ اللِطامِ وَلَم يَغلُظنَ مِن عُقُرِ
Repeated pregnancies had not worn down their natural build
after mating, nor had barrenness made them heavy.
كَأَنَّهاas though they مُقُطٌshort-tailed sandgrouse ظَلَّتremained عَلىupon قِيَمٍknolls
كَأَنَّها مُقُطٌ ظَلَّت عَلى قِيَمٍ
مِنof ثُكدَThukd وَاِعتَرَكَتand jostled فيin مائِهِits water الكَدِرِmuddy
مِن ثُكدَ وَاِعتَرَكَت في مائِهِ الكَدِرِ
As though they were short-tailed sandgrouse lingering on knolls
of Thukd, jostling in its muddy water.
شُقرٌreddish سَماوِيَّةٌof Samawa ظَلَّتremained مُحَلَّأَةًkept from water
شُقرٌ سَماوِيَّةٌ ظَلَّت مُحَلَّأَةً
بِرِجلَةِat Rijlat التَيسِal-Tays فَالرَوحاءِthen al-Rawha' فَالأَمَرِthen al-Amar
بِرِجلَةِ التَيسِ فَالرَوحاءِ فَالأَمَرِ
Reddish asses of Samawa, they had been kept from water
at Rijlat al-Tays, then al-Rawha', then al-Amar.
كانَتthey were بِجُزءٍon moisture-rich pasture فَمَلَّتهاthen grew weary of them مَشارِبُهُits drinking places
كانَت بِجُزءٍ فَمَلَّتها مَشارِبُهُ
وَأَخلَفَتهاand disappointed them رِياحُthe winds of الصَيفِsummer بِالغُدُرِin the pools
وَأَخلَفَتها رِياحُ الصَيفِ بِالغُدُرِ
They had lived on moist pasture; its drinking places wearied of them,
and summer winds disappointed them in the pools.
فَراحَthen he set off قَبلَbefore غُروبِthe setting of الشَمسِthe sun يَصفِقُهاstriking them onward
فَراحَ قَبلَ غُروبِ الشَمسِ يَصفِقُها
صَفقَas strikes العَنيفِthe brutal driver قِلاصَthe young she-camels of الخائِفِthe fearful man الحَذِرِwary
صَفقَ العَنيفِ قِلاصَ الخائِفِ الحَذِرِ
He set off before sunset, driving them with blows,
as a brutal driver beats a fearful, wary man's young she-camels.
يَخرِجنَthey emerge بِاللَيلِby night مِنfrom نَقعٍa dust-cloud لَهُit has عُرُفٌa crest
يَخرِجنَ بِاللَيلِ مِن نَقعٍ لَهُ عُرُفٌ
بِقاعِon a plain أَمعَطَbare بَينَbetween السَهلِthe level ground وَالصِيَرِand the rocky heights
بِقاعِ أَمعَطَ بَينَ السَهلِ وَالصِيَرِ
By night they emerge from a dust-cloud with a crest,
on a bare plain between level ground and rocky heights.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen ماindeed أَضاءَshone الصُبحُthe dawn وَاِنكَشَفَتand lifted
حَتّى إِذا ما أَضاءَ الصُبحُ وَاِنكَشَفَت
عَنهُfrom him نَعامَةَthe dark plume of ذيhaving سِقطَينِtwo fringes مُعتَكِرِdense and swirling
عَنهُ نَعامَةَ ذي سِقطَينِ مُعتَكِرِ
Until, when dawn shone, there lifted
from him the dark plume of a dense cloud with two fringes,
وَصَبَّحَتand reached at dawn بِرَكَthe pools of الرَيّانِal-Rayyan فَاِتَّبَعَتthen followed
وَصَبَّحَت بِرَكَ الرَيّانِ فَاِتَّبَعَت
فيهِinto it الجَحافِلُthe lips حَتّىuntil خُضنَthey waded بِالسُرَرِup to the navels
فيهِ الجَحافِلُ حَتّى خُضنَ بِالسُرَرِ
and they reached al-Rayyan's pools at dawn, then followed
their lips into the water, wading up to their navels.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen قَتَلَتquenched أَدنىthe least of الغَليلِthe burning thirst وَلَمand not
حَتّى إِذا قَتَلَت أَدنى الغَليلِ وَلَم
تَملَأfilled مَذاخِرَهاtheir stores لِلرَيِّfor full drinking وَالصَدَرِand leaving water
تَملَأ مَذاخِرَها لِلرَيِّ وَالصَدَرِ
Until, when they had quenched the first burning thirst, but had not
filled their stores for full drinking and departure,
وَصاحِباand two occupants of قُترَةٍa hunters' blind صُفرٌyellow قِسِيُّهُماtheir bows
وَصاحِبا قُترَةٍ صُفرٌ قِسِيُّهُما
عِندَby المَرافِقِthe elbows كَالسيدَينِlike two wolves فيin الحُجُرِthe dens
عِندَ المَرافِقِ كَالسيدَينِ في الحُجُرِ
while two men waited in a blind, their bows yellow,
beside their elbows, like two wolves in their dens.
تَنافَساthey two competed for الرَميَةَthe shot الأولىfirst فَفازَthen won بِهاit
تَنافَسا الرَميَةَ الأولى فَفازَ بِها
مُعاوِدُone practiced in الرَميِshooting قَتّالٌa deadly marksman عَلىat فُقَرِvertebrae
مُعاوِدُ الرَميِ قَتّالٌ عَلى فُقَرِ
They vied for the first shot, and it was won
by a practiced bowman, deadly at striking the spine.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen مَلَأَfilled الكَفَّينِboth palms أَدرَكَهُovertook him
حَتّى إِذا مَلَأَ الكَفَّينِ أَدرَكَهُ
جَدٌّfortune حَسودٌenvious وَخانَتand failed قُوَّةُthe strength of الوَتَرِthe bowstring
جَدٌّ حَسودٌ وَخانَت قُوَّةُ الوَتَرِ
When at last he filled both palms with the drawn bow, he was overtaken
by envious fortune, and the bowstring's strength failed him.
فَاِنصَعنَthen they darted away أَسرَعَfaster مِنthan طَيرٍbirds مُغاوِلَةٍracing to escape
فَاِنصَعنَ أَسرَعَ مِن طَيرٍ مُغاوِلَةٍ
تَهويplunging إِلىtoward لابَةٍa lava-field مِنfrom كاسِرٍa bird of prey خَدِرِlurking in cover
تَهوي إِلى لابَةٍ مِن كاسِرٍ خَدِرِ
They darted off faster than birds racing for their lives,
plunging toward a lava-field from a lurking bird of prey.
إِذاwhen لَقينَthey encountered عُروضاًa ridge دونَbefore مَصنَعَةٍa cistern
إِذا لَقينَ عُروضاً دونَ مَصنَعَةٍ
وَرَّكنَthey veered مِنfrom جَنبِهاits side الأَقصىfarther لِمُحتَضِرِtoward a frequented place
وَرَّكنَ مِن جَنبِها الأَقصى لِمُحتَضِرِ
Whenever they met a ridge before a cistern,
they veered round its farther side toward a frequented place.
فَأَطلَعَتthen they climbed فِرزَةَFirzat الآجامِal-Ajam جافِلَةًfleeing in panic
فَأَطلَعَت فِرزَةَ الآجامِ جافِلَةً
لَمnot تَدرِthey knew أَنّىwhence أَتاهاcame upon them أَوَّلُthe first of الذُعُرِthe alarm
لَم تَدرِ أَنّى أَتاها أَوَّلُ الذُعُرِ
They topped Firzat al-Ajam, fleeing in panic,
not knowing whence their first alarm had come.
فَأَصبَحَتthen they were at dawn بَينَbetween أَعلامٍlandmarks بِمُرتَقَبٍon a lookout height
فَأَصبَحَت بَينَ أَعلامٍ بِمُرتَقَبٍ
مُقوَرَّةًlean كَقِداحِlike the gaming arrows of الغارِمِthe debt-laden اليَسَرِgambler
مُقوَرَّةً كَقِداحِ الغارِمِ اليَسَرِ
By morning they stood among landmarks on a lookout height,
lean as the gaming arrows of a debt-laden gambler.
يَزُرُّbites أَكفالَهاtheir rumps غَيرانُa jealous male مُبتَرِكٌpressing hard
يَزُرُّ أَكفالَها غَيرانُ مُبتَرِكٌ
كَاللَوحِlike a plank جُرِّدَwere stripped دَفّاهُhis two flanks مِنَof الزُبُرِshaggy hair
كَاللَوحِ جُرِّدَ دَفّاهُ مِنَ الزُبُرِ
A jealous, hard-driving male bites at their rumps,
like a plank, his two flanks stripped of shaggy hair.
يَجتابُcuts his way أَذرَأُهاtheir pale-marked male وَالتُربُand the dust يَركَبُهُrides him
يَجتابُ أَذرَأُها وَالتُربُ يَركَبُهُ
تَرَسُّمَlike the tracking of الفارِطِthe advance water-scout الظَمآنِthirsty فيalong الأَثَرِthe trail
تَرَسُّمَ الفارِطِ الظَمآنِ في الأَثَرِ
Their pale-marked male cuts his way, dust riding him,
tracking like a thirsty water-scout along the trail.
Sol 6.1