كَأَنَّas though بَنيthe sons of سَدوسٍSadus رَهطِthe clan of ثَورٍThawr
كَأَنَّ بَني سَدوسٍ رَهطِ ثَورٍ
خَنافِسُbeetles تَحتَbeneath مُنكَسِرِthe broken part of الجِدارِthe wall
خَنافِسُ تَحتَ مُنكَسِرِ الجِدارِ
It is as though Banu Sadus, Thawr’s clan,
Like the ants of Sadus, a tribe of Thawr
were beetles beneath the broken part of the wall,
Beetles under the broken wall
تَحَرِّكُmoves لِلفَخارِfor boasting زُبانَيَيهاits two feelers
تَحَرِّكُ لِلفَخارِ زُبانَيَيها
وَفَخرُand the boasting الخُنفُساءِthe beetle مِنَof الصَغارِabasement
وَفَخرُ الخُنفُساءِ مِنَ الصَغارِ
waving their two feelers to boast;
Moving their antennas over the pottery
and a beetle’s boasting is a form of abasement.
Yet the beetle boasts in its smallness
Sol 6.1