كَأَنَّas though قَوائِمَlegs النَحامِal-Nahham لَمّاwhen
كَأَنَّ قَوائِمَ النَحامِ لَمّا
تَحَمَّلَset out صُحبَتيmy companions أُصُلاًat dusk مَحارُaxles
تَحَمَّلَ صُحبَتي أُصُلاً مَحارُ
It was as though al-Nahham’s legs, when
As if the legs of the ostrich when
my companions set out at dusk, were axles
Bearing my companionship became native willows
عَلىupon قَرماءَQarma’ عاليَةٌtall شَواهُhis limbs
عَلى قَرماءَ عاليَةٌ شَواهُ
كَأَنَّas though بَياضَwhiteness غُرَّتِهِhis forehead blaze خِمَارُa veil
كَأَنَّ بَياضَ غُرَّتِهِ خِمَارُ
upon Qarma’—his limbs standing tall.
Upon lofty sand dunes, its whiteness is
The whiteness of his forehead blaze seemed a veil.
Like an abaya's fabric
وَماand what يُدريكَlets you know ماhow great فَقريmy need إِلَيهِfor him
وَما يُدريكَ ما فَقري إِلَيهِ
إِذاwhen مَاemphatic particle القَومُthe men وَلَّواthey fled أَوor أَغارواthey raided
إِذا مَا القَومُ وَلَّوا أَو أَغاروا
And what can tell you how great my need for him is,
And what would you know of my need for him
when the men flee or launch a raid?
When the people turn away or depart
وَيُحضِرُand he gallops فَوقَbeyond جُهدِutmost effort الحُضرِgalloping نَصّاًat full stretch
وَيُحضِرُ فَوقَ جُهدِ الحُضرِ نَصّاً
يَصيدُكَhe overtakes you قافِلاًreturning home وَالمُخُّwhile the marrow رارُthin and watery
يَصيدُكَ قافِلاً وَالمُخُّ رارُ
And he gallops at full stretch, beyond a gallop’s utmost effort,
And he brings, beyond the effort of the towns, aid
overtaking you on the journey home, though the marrow is thin.
That hunts you down though returning and fate bitter
Sol 6.1