كَأَنّيas though I كَسَوتُI clothed الرَحلَthe saddle جَوناًdark-colored رَباعِياًfour-year-old
كَأَنّي كَسَوتُ الرَحلَ جَوناً رَباعِياً
بِليتَيهِon both sides of his neck مِنfrom زَرِّthe biting الحَميرِthe asses كُلومُwounds
بِليتَيهِ مِن زَرِّ الحَميرِ كُلومُ
As though I had clad the saddle in a dark, four-year-old wild ass,
As though I had saddled the camel a sturdy mount,
With bite-wounds from asses on both sides of his neck:
Girded with leather straps from the donkeys' hide.
عُلَندىlarge and powerful مِصَكّاًa hard kicker قَدalready أَضَرَّhe kept close بِعانَةٍto a herd of she-asses
عُلَندى مِصَكّاً قَد أَضَرَّ بِعانَةٍ
لِماtoward whatever شَذَّstrayed مِنهاfrom it أَوor عَصاهُdefied him عَذومُa fierce biter
لِما شَذَّ مِنها أَو عَصاهُ عَذومُ
A huge, hard-kicking beast, keeping close to a herd,
I had with me a whip that was rough on the camel's eye
Biting any that strayed from it or defied him.
Whenever it strayed or was stubborn and hard to subdue.
تَرَبَّعَhe grazed in spring أَكنافَthe flanks of القَنانِal-Qanān فَصارَةٍthen Ṣārah
تَرَبَّعَ أَكنافَ القَنانِ فَصارَةٍ
فَماand did not وانَflag حَتّىuntil قاظَhe spent the summer وَهوَwhile he was زَهومُfat
فَما وانَ حَتّى قاظَ وَهوَ زَهومُ
He grazed in spring along the flanks of al-Qanān, then Ṣārah,
It curled up in the cave's nooks during the siesta
Never flagging, until summer found him fat,
And did not rouse till the noon heat made it distraught.
إِلىuntil أَنthat عَلاهُoverwhelmed him القَيظُsummer heat وَاِستَنَّand raced حَولَهُaround him
إِلى أَن عَلاهُ القَيظُ وَاِستَنَّ حَولَهُ
أَهابِيُّdusty gusts مِنهاamong them حاصِبٌa stone-pelting wind وَسَمومُand a scorching wind
أَهابِيُّ مِنها حاصِبٌ وَسَمومُ
Until summer heat bore down upon him, and around him swept
Until the midday sun rose and baked the sands around it,
Dusty gusts, some stone-pelting, some scorching.
When hot winds blew, scorching, and dust clouds mounted.
وَأَعوَزَهُand failed him باقيthe remainder of النِطافِthe small water pools وَقَلَّصَتand dwindled
وَأَعوَزَهُ باقي النِطافِ وَقَلَّصَت
ثَمائِلُهاtheir remaining water وَفيand in الوُجوهِthe faces سُهومُgauntness
ثَمائِلُها وَفي الوُجوهِ سُهومُ
The pools’ remaining water failed him, and dwindled
It weakened the rest of the she-camels, emaciated
Their last remnants, while faces grew gaunt.
Their bodies, and in their faces fatigue was paramount.
وَحَلَّأَهاand he kept them from water حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen تَمَّwas complete ظِمؤُهاtheir interval between drinks
وَحَلَّأَها حَتّى إِذا تَمَّ ظِمؤُها
وَقَدand already كادَnearly لاnot يَبقىremained لَهُنَّfor them شُحومُbody fat
وَقَد كادَ لا يَبقى لَهُنَّ شُحومُ
He kept them from water until their interval between drinks was over,
It drove them on until their thirst was slaked,
And scarcely any fat remained upon them.
When little fat was left on their frames to count.
فَظَلَّso he spent سَراةَthe height of اليَومِthe day يَقسِمُweighing أَمرَهُhis course of action
فَظَلَّ سَراةَ اليَومِ يَقسِمُ أَمرَهُ
مُشِتٌّunsettled عَلَيهِfor him الأَمرُthe matter أَينَwhere يَرومُhe seeks to go
مُشِتٌّ عَلَيهِ الأَمرُ أَينَ يَرومُ
So through the height of day he weighed his course,
All day he remained dividing his time,
Bewildered by his plight: where should he turn?
Perplexed, wondering where he should go.
وَأَقلَقَهُand unsettled him هَمٌّa worry دَخيلٌdeep-seated يَنوبُهُrepeatedly assailing him
وَأَقلَقَهُ هَمٌّ دَخيلٌ يَنوبُهُ
وَهاجِرَةٌand noonday heat جَرَّتswept عَلَيهِover him صَدومُbattering
وَهاجِرَةٌ جَرَّت عَلَيهِ صَدومُ
A deep-seated worry unsettled him, repeatedly assailing him,
A nagging care kept after him
And fierce noonday heat swept over him.
And an immigrant wife who brought him much woe,
بِرابِيَةٍon a knoll يَنحَطُّhe descends عَنهاfrom it مُعَشِّراًbraying repeatedly
بِرابِيَةٍ يَنحَطُّ عَنها مُعَشِّراً
وَيَعلوand he climbs عَلَيهاonto it تارَةًat times فَيَصومُthen he stands still
وَيَعلو عَلَيها تارَةً فَيَصومُ
On a knoll, he would descend from it, braying,
With a baby he had to provide for,
And sometimes climb back up, then stand still.
Rising above them sometimes, and fasting below.
وَظَلَّتand they remained كَأَنَّas though الطَيرَbirds فَوقَabove رُؤوسِهاtheir heads
وَظَلَّت كَأَنَّ الطَيرَ فَوقَ رُؤوسِها
صِياماًstanding still without grazing تُراعىwatching الشَمسَthe sun وَهوَwhile he was كَظومُsilent
صِياماً تُراعى الشَمسَ وَهوَ كَظومُ
And they stood as though birds sat upon their heads,
Over their heads they seemed like birds
Motionless, watching the sun, while he kept silent,
Observing the sun-fast, suffering its glow,
مَخافَةَfor fear of مَخشِيِّdreaded الشَذاةِferocity عَذَوَّرٍa fierce, ill-tempered beast
مَخافَةَ مَخشِيِّ الشَذاةِ عَذَوَّرٍ
لِنابَيهِfrom his two fangs فيin أَكفالِهِنَّtheir rumps كُلومُwounds
لِنابَيهِ في أَكفالِهِنَّ كُلومُ
For fear of the fierce male whose violence they dreaded,
Fearing the patrolman of the wastes, a tyrant
Whose two fangs had left wounds in their rumps.
To their young, carried in the crook of their elbow.
إِلىuntil أَنthat أَجَنَّgrew dark اللَيلُthe night وَاِنقَضَّand he swooped قارِباًseeking water by night
إِلى أَن أَجَنَّ اللَيلُ وَاِنقَضَّ قارِباً
عَلَيهِنَّupon them جَيّاشَsurging الجِراءِrunning أَزومُa fierce biter
عَلَيهِنَّ جَيّاشَ الجِراءِ أَزومُ
Until night darkened, and, bound for water, he swooped
Until night came and darkness enfolded them
Upon them—a vigorous runner and a fierce biter.
With its flood upon them, the running sands' flow.
وَكَمشِهاand he drove them swiftly ثَبتُsteadfast الحِضارِin running مُلازِمٌkeeping close
وَكَمشِها ثَبتُ الحِضارِ مُلازِمٌ
لَمّاwhen ضاعَstrayed مِنfrom أَدبارِهِنَّtheir rears لَزومُever clinging
لَمّا ضاعَ مِن أَدبارِهِنَّ لَزومُ
And he drove them swiftly—a steady runner who kept close;
And Orion clung to the settled darkness,
Whenever any strayed behind them, he stuck to their heels.
Cleaving fast when their tracks were hard to know.
فَأَورَدَهاthen he led them to drink ماءًwater بِغَضوَرَat Ghaḍwar آجِناًstagnant
فَأَورَدَها ماءً بِغَضوَرَ آجِناً
لَهُit had عَرمَضٌalgae كَالغِسلِlike cleansing herbs فيهِin it طُمومُthickly covering
لَهُ عَرمَضٌ كَالغِسلِ فيهِ طُمومُ
Then he led them to stagnant water at Ghaḍwar,
He led them to brackish, troubled water,
Algae like cleansing herbs lying thick within it.
With floating scum like washing froth in its bow.
بِحَضرَتِهِnear it رامٍan archer أَعَدَّhad prepared سَلاجِماًlong arrowheads
بِحَضرَتِهِ رامٍ أَعَدَّ سَلاجِماً
وَبِالكَفِّand in his palm طَوعُpliant المِركَضَينِthe two bow limbs كَتومُsilent
وَبِالكَفِّ طَوعُ المِركَضَينِ كَتومُ
Nearby, an archer had prepared long-bladed arrows,
Nearby a groom had readied the saddle-bags
And in his palm, a silent bow, pliant in both limbs.
And with his hands the racers were easy to trow.
فَلَمّاthen when دَنَتthey approached لِلماءِtoward the water هيماًparched تَعَجَّلَتshe hurried forward
فَلَمّا دَنَت لِلماءِ هيماً تَعَجَّلَت
رَباعِيَةٌa four-year-old she-ass لِلهادِياتِbefore the leading females قَدومُpushing ahead
رَباعِيَةٌ لِلهادِياتِ قَدومُ
When they neared the water, parched, one hurried forward:
When they approached the water, driven by thirst,
A four-year-old she-ass, outstripping the leaders.
The sturdy she-camels were quick to follow.
فَدَلَّتthen she lowered يَدَيهاher two forelegs وَاِستَغاثَتand sought relief بِبَردِهِin its coolness
فَدَلَّت يَدَيها وَاِستَغاثَت بِبَردِهِ
عَلىin the grip of ظَمَإٍthirst مِنهاof hers وَفيهِand in it جُمومُabundant water
عَلى ظَمَإٍ مِنها وَفيهِ جُمومُ
Then she lowered her forelegs and sought relief in its coolness,
She stooped her hands to drink and cooled her innards
Thirsty as she was, with water there in plenty.
Against a thirst in her, though the water was foul.
فَأَهوىthen he let fly بِمَفتوقِwith a broadened blade الغِرارَينِthe two cutting edges مُرهَفٍkeenly sharpened
فَأَهوى بِمَفتوقِ الغِرارَينِ مُرهَفٍ
عَلَيهِupon it لُؤامُwell-matched الريشِfeathers فَهوَso it was قَتومُdark-hued
عَلَيهِ لُؤامُ الريشِ فَهوَ قَتومُ
Then he let fly a keen arrow, broad at both edges,
With widespread pinions the falcon dived at her
Fitted with matching feathers, dark in hue.
His body feathers ruffling, aggressive and growling.
فَأَنفَذَthen it pierced حِضنَيهاboth her flanks وَجالَand darted أَمامَهاbefore her
فَأَنفَذَ حِضنَيها وَجالَ أَمامَها
طَميلٌblood-smeared يُفَرّيtearing open الجَوفَthe belly’s interior وَهوَwhile it was سَليمُunbroken
طَميلٌ يُفَرّي الجَوفَ وَهوَ سَليمُ
It pierced both her flanks and sped on before her,
He pierced her breast and fended off her front
Blood-smeared, cleaving her belly, itself unbroken.
While the smooth spear slipped in, safe and sound.
فَوَلَّتthen they fled وَوَلّىand he fled العَيرُthe wild ass فيهاamong them كَأَنَّماas though
فَوَلَّت وَوَلّى العَيرُ فيها كَأَنَّما
يُلَهَّبُis kindled فيin آثارِهِنَّtheir tracks ضَريمُa blaze
يُلَهَّبُ في آثارِهِنَّ ضَريمُ
Then they fled, and the wild ass fled among them, as though
She turned away and the drove of camels turned too,
A blaze were being kindled in their tracks.
As though fire blazed in the tracks they were treading.
وَغادَرَهاand he left her تَكبوfalling forward لِحُرِّonto the flat of جَبينِهاher brow
وَغادَرَها تَكبو لِحُرِّ جَبينِها
كِلاboth مَنخِرَيهاher two nostrils بِالنَجيعِwith dark blood رَذومُdripping
كِلا مَنخِرَيها بِالنَجيعِ رَذومُ
And he left her falling onto the flat of her brow,
He left her bending to the fever in her brow
Both her nostrils dripping dark blood.
With both nostrils high from the babbling and threading.
Sol 6.1