أَقبَلنَthey came مِنfrom جَنبَيthe two flanks of فِتاخٍFitakh وَإِضَمand Idam
أَقبَلنَ مِن جَنبَي فِتاخٍ وَإِضَم
عَلىon قِلاصٍyoung she-camels مِثلَlike خيطانِslender shoots of السَلَمthe salam acacia
عَلى قِلاصٍ مِثلَ خيطانِ السَلَم
They came from the flanks of Fitakh and Idam,
on young she-camels like slender salam-acacia shoots.
قَدalready طُوِيَتwere drawn in بُطونُهاtheir bellies طَيَّlike the folding of الأَدَمhides
قَد طُوِيَت بُطونُها طَيَّ الأَدَم
بَعدَafter اِنفِضاجِthe melting away of البُدنِthe fat وَاللَحمِand the flesh الزِيَمin separate masses
بَعدَ اِنفِضاجِ البُدنِ وَاللَحمِ الزِيَم
Their bellies had been drawn in like folded hides,
after their fat and clumps of flesh had melted away.
إِذاwhenever قَطَعنَthey passed عَلَماًa mountain بَداappeared عَلَمa mountain
إِذا قَطَعنَ عَلَماً بَدا عَلَم
فَهُنَّso they بَحثاًpawing the ground كَمُضِلّاتِlike women who have lost الخَدَمthe anklets
فَهُنَّ بَحثاً كَمُضِلّاتِ الخَدَم
Whenever they passed a mountain, another mountain appeared.
So they pawed the ground like women who had lost their anklets,
حَتّىuntil تَناهَينَthey arrived إِلىat بابِthe gate of الحَكَمal-Hakam
حَتّى تَناهَينَ إِلى بابِ الحَكَم
خَليفَةِthe deputy of الحَجّاجِal-Hajjaj غَيرِnot المُتَّهَمsuspected
خَليفَةِ الحَجّاجِ غَيرِ المُتَّهَم
until they reached the gate of al-Hakam,
al-Hajjaj's deputy, beyond suspicion,
فيin ضِئضِءِthe rootstock of المَجدِglory وَبُؤبُؤِand the very core of الكَرَمgenerosity
في ضِئضِءِ المَجدِ وَبُؤبُؤِ الكَرَم
in the rootstock of glory and the very core of generosity.
Sol 6.1