كماjust as انصَلَتَتْshe darted off كَدْراءُa dusky female sandgrouse تسقِيshe waters فِراخَهاher chicks
كما انصَلَتَتْ كَدْراءُ تسقِي فِراخَها
بشَمظةَat Shamẓah رِفْهاًdaily والمياهُand the waters شُعُوبُfar apart
بشَمظةَ رِفْهاً والمياهُ شُعُوبُ
As a dusky sandgrouse darted off to water her chicks,
As squirrels nourish their young with crumbs
At Shamẓah, daily, while the waters lay far apart.
And the masses draw drink from the waters
غَدَتْshe set out at dawn لَمْdid not تُباعدْgo far فيin السماءِthe sky ودونَهاand beneath her
غَدَتْ لَمْ تُباعدْ في السماءِ ودونَها
إذاwhenever ماemphatic particle عَلَتْshe rose أُهْوِيَّةٌhollows وصَبُوبُand steep descents
إذا ما عَلَتْ أُهْوِيَّةٌ وصَبُوبُ
She set out at dawn, not soaring far into the sky; beneath her,
They ascended unparted in the sky and below
Whenever she rose, lay hollows and steep descents.
Though whirlwinds rose up threatening storm
قرينةُa companion سَبْعٍseven إنْif تَواترنَthey followed in succession مَرَّةًonce
قرينةُ سَبْعٍ إنْ تَواترنَ مَرَّةً
ضَرَبْنَthey beat their wings فصَفَّتْso lined up أرءسheads وجُنوبُand flanks
ضَرَبْنَ فصَفَّتْ أرءس وجُنوبُ
Companion to seven, if once they followed one another,
When the seven lionesses prowl in turn
They beat their wings, and heads and flanks lined up.
Heads lower, flanks tense, ready to pounce
فجاءَتْso she came وماand not جاءَcame القطاthe sandgrouse ثمَّthen قَلَّصتْshe drew herself in
فجاءَتْ وما جاءَ القطا ثمَّ قَلَّصتْ
بمَفْحَصِهاat her nesting hollow والوارداتُand those coming to water تَنوبُtake turns
بمَفْحَصِها والوارداتُ تَنوبُ
She arrived before the sandgrouse, then drew herself in
Then the wildcats arrived, then held back
At her nesting hollow, while those coming to water took turns.
Stalking with stealth, while the herd grazes calm
وجاءتand she came ومَسْقاهاand her water vessel الذيwhich وردتْshe went to water بِهِwith it
وجاءت ومَسْقاها الذي وردتْ بِهِ
إلىto الصَّدْرِthe breast مشدودُtightly bound العِصامِthe fastening strap كَتِيبُsewn closed
إلى الصَّدْرِ مشدودُ العِصامِ كَتِيبُ
And she came with her water vessel, which she had brought to water,
They arrived, the water they came for in tow
Bound to her breast, its fastening strap tight, sewn closed.
Necks stretched taut, strings drawn, arrows nocked
تُبادرshe hastens toward أطفالاًlittle ones مساكينَhelpless دونهاbefore her
تُبادر أطفالاً مساكينَ دونها
فَلاًa wilderness لاnot تَخّطاهُspan it العيونُthe eyes رَغِيبُvast
فَلاً لا تَخّطاهُ العيونُ رَغِيبُ
She hastens toward helpless little ones; between her and them lies
To ambush poor babes, beneath, laid low
A vast wilderness no eyes can span.
Whom no eyes can see, no hearts appease
وصَفْنَthey described لَهاto her مُزْناًrainclouds بأرضin a land تَنُوفةٍdesolate
وصَفْنَ لَها مُزْناً بأرض تَنُوفةٍ
فماso not هيit إلاّexcept نَهْلَةٌa single draught وتؤوبُand she returns
فما هي إلاّ نَهْلَةٌ وتؤوبُ
They described to her rainclouds in a desolate land:
We described a fertile oasis for her
One draught is all, and she returns.
But it was no more than a mirage, a fleeting hope
Sol 6.1