أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل تَبيتُ مُغِذَّةً

أَلا لَيتَ شِعري هَل تَبيتُ مُغِذَّةً

ركابِيَ ما بَينَ النَعائِمِ وَالنسرِ

ركابِيَ ما بَينَ النَعائِمِ وَالنسرِ

Ah, if only I knew: do they spend the night hastening—

Alas, would that I knew, does she sleep nurturing

my riding camels—between the Ostriches and the Eagle?

My mounts between luxuries and eagle?

تُجاذِبُ ما بَينَ المَناظِرِ ناظِراً

تُجاذِبُ ما بَينَ المَناظِرِ ناظِراً

مُريعاً وَتَتلو مَغرِبَ الطائِرِ النسرِ

مُريعاً وَتَتلو مَغرِبَ الطائِرِ النسرِ

They draw a gazing eye from vista to vista,

She observes the scenes, an observer,

through fertile country, and follow the flying Eagle’s setting.

Speedy, and recites the sunset of the eagle.

وَتَرتَعُ مِن رَوضِ الحِمى في مَراتِعٍ

وَتَرتَعُ مِن رَوضِ الحِمى في مَراتِعٍ

أَرَيت بِها الفَرغَينِ في مُطفيءِ الجَمرِ

أَرَيت بِها الفَرغَينِ في مُطفيءِ الجَمرِ

And graze in the preserve’s meadow, in pastures

And she grazes in the meadows of the sanctuary in pastures

where I showed the Two Spouts in the quencher of embers.

Where I saw the bright stars in the fading embers,

وَلازَمَها سَعدُ السُعودِ وَصَحبُهُ

وَلازَمَها سَعدُ السُعودِ وَصَحبُهُ

إِلى أَن تَلاقى الضَبُّ وَالنونُ في وَكرِ

إِلى أَن تَلاقى الضَبُّ وَالنونُ في وَكرِ

And Sa‘d al-Su‘ūd and its companions stayed with them,

And Saad of good fortune kept her company

until the lizard and the fish met in one den.

Until the wolf and fish met in the burrow,

وَأَهدى لَها الوَسمِيُّ سَبعاً وَسَبعَةً

وَأَهدى لَها الوَسمِيُّ سَبعاً وَسَبعَةً

طُلوع الزُبانى قَبل ذاكَ مَع الفَجرِ

طُلوع الزُبانى قَبل ذاكَ مَع الفَجرِ

And the early autumn rain gave them seven and seven,

And al-Washmi gave her seven and seven

at the rising of the Claws, before that, with the dawn.

Risings of Libra before that with dawn,

فَما بَسَطت كَفُّ الخَضيبِ بِنانَها

فَما بَسَطت كَفُّ الخَضيبِ بِنانَها

عَلى الأَرضِ إِلّا وَهيَ مَوشِيَّةُ الأُزرِ

عَلى الأَرضِ إِلّا وَهيَ مَوشِيَّةُ الأُزرِ

For the Henna-dyed One’s palm never spread its fingers

So the grey-haired one has not stretched her palm

over the earth unless her skirts were embroidered.

On the ground except as it is adorned with bracelets.

فَلا حَبراتُ العصبِ مِن نَسجِ حِميَرٍ

فَلا حَبراتُ العصبِ مِن نَسجِ حِميَرٍ

حَكَتها وَلا ما وَشَّعَ القبطُ في مِصرِ

حَكَتها وَلا ما وَشَّعَ القبطُ في مِصرِ

So neither Ḥimyar’s woven, tie-dyed striped robes

Neither the writings of the bookbinders from the weaving of donkeys

matched her, nor what the Copts wove in colors in Egypt.

Transcribed it, nor what the Copts embroidered in Egypt.