قَدsometimes أَغتَديI set out at dawn وَاللَيلُwhile the night فيin مَآبِهِits retreat
قَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ في مَآبِهِ
كَالحَبَشِيُّlike an Abyssinian فَرَّfled مِنfrom أَصحابِهِhis companions
كَالحَبَشِيُّ فَرَّ مِن أَصحابِهِ
Sometimes I set out at dawn while night is in its retreat,
The night has departed in its abode
Like an Abyssinian who fled his companions.
Like an Abyssinian who fled from his friends
وَالصُبحُand dawn قَدalready كَشَّفَbared عَنfrom أَنيابِهِits fangs
وَالصُبحُ قَد كَشَّفَ عَن أَنيابِهِ
كَأَنَّهُas though it يَضحَكُlaughs مِنat ذَهابِهِits departure
كَأَنَّهُ يَضحَكُ مِن ذَهابِهِ
And dawn has already bared its fangs,
And the dawn has uncovered its fangs
As though laughing at night's departure.
As if it laughs at its going
وَأَزرَفٍand a nimble one رَيّانَlush فيin شَبابِهِits youth
وَأَزرَفٍ رَيّانَ في شَبابِهِ
كُلَّevery مَديحٍpraise حَسَنٍfine يُعنىis meant بِهِfor it
كُلَّ مَديحٍ حَسَنٍ يُعنى بِهِ
And a nimble bird, lush in its youth,
With abundant, glistening drops in its youth
For which every fine word of praise is meant,
Every good, splendid praise is meant for it
ذيpossessing مِخلَبٍa talon مُكِّنَfirmly fixed مِنat نِصابِهِits root
ذي مِخلَبٍ مُكِّنَ مِن نِصابِهِ
ماnot جَفَّdried يَومَthe day الصَيدِthe hunt مِنof خِضابِهِits dye
ما جَفَّ يَومَ الصَيدِ مِن خِضابِهِ
With a talon firmly anchored at its root,
With claws enabled from its hunting
Never dry of its dye on the day of the hunt.
Its dye has not dried from the day of prey
كَأَنَّas though سِلخَthe shed skin الأَيمِthe snake مِنamong أَثوابِهِits garments
كَأَنَّ سِلخَ الأَيمِ مِن أَثوابِهِ
ماnot ذادَناdrove us away البازيthe goshawk عَلىon حِسابِهِits account
ما ذادَنا البازي عَلى حِسابِهِ
As though a snake's shed skin were among its garments.
As if the skinning of the prey stripped it of its clothes
The goshawk did not drive us away on its account,
The falconer did not increase us in its account
وَلاand not وَدَدناwe wished أَنَّهُthat it لَناours بِهِin exchange for it
وَلا وَدَدنا أَنَّهُ لَنا بِهِ
كَأَنَّماas though الوَشيُthe brocade الَّذيwhich اِكتَسىclothed itself بِهِin it
كَأَنَّما الوَشيُ الَّذي اِكتَسى بِهِ
Nor did we wish to have the goshawk in its stead.
Nor did we wish that it was ours
As though the brocade in which it clothed itself
As if the page on which it was written
شَكلٌvowel marks خَلاwas devoid القِرطاسُthe sheet مِنof كِتابِهِits writing
شَكلٌ خَلا القِرطاسُ مِن كِتابِهِ
ماnot طارَit flew إِلّاexcept لِدَمٍfor blood وَفىpaid in full بِهِit
ما طارَ إِلّا لِدَمٍ وَفى بِهِ
Were vowel marks on a sheet devoid of its writing.
Lacked any writing from its book
It flew only for blood, which it paid in full.
It flew not except for blood, and it sufficed with it
واحِدَةٌa single one تَكفيsuffices إِذاwhen إِدَّعىcalls بِهِfor it
واحِدَةٌ تَكفي إِذا إِدَّعى بِهِ
A single one suffices when one calls for it.
One strike suffices if claimed with it
Sol 6.1