فلمّاand when رأوناthey saw us بادياbared ركباتناour knees
فلمّا رأونا باديا ركباتنا
علىon موطنٍa battlefield لاnot يخلطmixes الجدseriousness بالهزلwith jest
على موطنٍ لا يخلط الجد بالهزل
And when they saw us with our knees bared
When they saw our horses lined up
on a battlefield where seriousness is not mixed with jest,
In a place where jest is not mixed with earnest
تولّواthey turned away وخوفand fear الطعنspear-thrusts يلوءtwists رؤوسهمtheir heads
تولّوا وخوف الطعن يلوء رؤوسهم
كماas ولّتfled الأورىwild goats تحيدswerve away منfrom النّبلarrows
كما ولّت الأورى تحيد من النّبل
they turned away, fear of spear-thrusts twisting their heads,
They fled, fear of being stabbed twisting their heads
as wild goats fled, swerving away from arrows.
As the shy oryx turns aside to dodge arrows
Sol 6.1