ومديدِ الخطى كأنّكَ منه

ومديدِ الخطى كأنّكَ منه

تضعُ اللّبْدَ فوق تيّارِ سَيْلِ

تضعُ اللّبْدَ فوق تيّارِ سَيْلِ

And a long-striding steed—as though, upon him, you

With strides so long you'd think them streaming from it,

Lay the saddle-felt atop a torrent’s current.

You place your footprints above a torrent's flow,

قيدُ وحشٍ ملاذُ خائرِ وهنٍ

قيدُ وحشٍ ملاذُ خائرِ وهنٍ

وقرى معقلٍ وحارسُ ليلِ

وقرى معقلٍ وحارسُ ليلِ

A fetter for wild beasts, a refuge for the faint and weak,

A worn-out wild beast's hobble, refuge of weakness and decay,

And sustenance for a stronghold, and a watchman of the night.

Hamlets, a fortress, and guard of night,

أسْبِقُ الريحَ فوقه فإذا ما

أسْبِقُ الريحَ فوقه فإذا ما

فتّها أمسكتْ بفضلةِ ذيلي

فتّها أمسكتْ بفضلةِ ذيلي

I outrun the wind upon him, and whenever

I outrun the wind above it, then when

I outstrip it, it catches hold of the end of my robe’s train.

It's torn to shreds, it seizes my coattails.