فما شَنَّتا خَرقاءَ واهٍ كُلاهُما

فما شَنَّتا خَرقاءَ واهٍ كُلاهُما

سَقَى بِهِمِا ساقٍ وَلا ماتَبَلّلا

سَقَى بِهِمِا ساقٍ وَلا ماتَبَلّلا

The clumsy woman's two worn waterskins, both leaking—

Neither pitcher leaked though both were cracked

whether a water-carrier has used them or they remain unwetted—

A leg they watered, yet no wetness pooled

بِأَضيَعَ مِن عينَيكَ لِلدَّمعِ كُلَّما

بِأَضيَعَ مِن عينَيكَ لِلدَّمعِ كُلَّما

تَوَهَّمتَ رَسماً أو تَبَيَّنتَ مَنزِلا

تَوَهَّمتَ رَسماً أو تَبَيَّنتَ مَنزِلا

are no more wasteful than your eyes with tears whenever

More arid than your eyes that tears once tracked

you fancy a trace of a camp or make out a dwelling.

Whenever you saw shapes or spied a place to build