أَرِقتُ لِتَوماضِ البُروقِ اللَوامِعِ

أَرِقتُ لِتَوماضِ البُروقِ اللَوامِعِ

وَنَحنُ نَشاوى بَينَ سَلعٍ وَفارِعِ

وَنَحنُ نَشاوى بَينَ سَلعٍ وَفارِعِ

I lay sleepless at the flickering of the gleaming lightning,

I was kept awake by the flashing of the brilliant lightning

While we were drunk between Salʿ and Fāriʿ.

While we were chatting between one peak and another

أَرِقتُ لَهُ حَتّى عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ

أَرِقتُ لَهُ حَتّى عَلِمتُ مَكانَهُ

بِأَكنافِ سِلعٍ وَالتِلاعِ الدَوافِعِ

بِأَكنافِ سِلعٍ وَالتِلاعِ الدَوافِعِ

I lay sleepless for it until I knew where it was,

I was kept awake by it until I knew its place

By the flanks of Salʿ and the torrent-bearing gullies.

In the folds of a peak and the driving slopes

طَوى أَبرَقَ العَزّافِ يَرعُدُ مَتنُهُ

طَوى أَبرَقَ العَزّافِ يَرعُدُ مَتنُهُ

حَنينَ المَتالي نَحوَ صَوتَ المُشايِعِ

حَنينَ المَتالي نَحوَ صَوتَ المُشايِعِ

It swept over Abraq al-ʿAzzāf, its back thundering

The lightning of the storm flashed and its body thundered

Like the yearning moans of she-camels with calves toward the herder's voice.

The yearning of the waves toward the sound of those bidding farewell