سرىtraveled by night برقlightning فأرقنيand so kept me awake يمانYemeni
سرى برق فأرقني يمان
يضيءit lights الليلthe night كالفردlike the solitary star الهجانpure white
يضيء الليل كالفرد الهجان
Yemeni lightning coursed through the night and kept me awake.
The lightning flashed, keeping me awake all night
It lights the night like a solitary, pure-white star.
It lights up the night like a drawn sword
يضيءit lights ذرىthe summits of طميةTamiyyah أوor شطيبShutayb
يضيء ذرى طمية أو شطيب
وفلجand Falj منfrom طميةTamiyyah غيرnot دانnear
وفلج من طمية غير دان
It lights the summits of Tamiyyah or Shutayb,
It lights up a sandy valley or meadow
and Falj is not close to Tamiyyah.
And a canyon not made of sand
أيأملdoes … hope? منone who يرىsees رقماتthe meadowlands of فلجFalj
أيأمل من يرى رقمات فلج
زيارةa visit to منone who يرىsees علميthe two landmark hills of ذقانDhaqan
زيارة من يرى علمي ذقان
Does one who sees Falj’s meadowlands hope
Can I hope that whoever sees the tracks of the canyon
to visit her who sees Dhaqan’s twin heights?
Will pay a visit to the one who is starving for them
ودونand before reaching مزارهاthe place of visiting her بلدa land يزجىis driven onward
ودون مزارها بلد يزجى
بهthrough it الفوجthe caravan المنوقwell-trained وهوwhile it is وانweary
به الفوج المنوق وهو وان
Between us and her abode lies a land across which is driven
And near its landmarks is a land that is walked
the well-trained caravan, weary as it is.
By the trained regiment in weakness and strength
Sol 6.1