كَأَنَّas though الظُعنَthe women traveling in howdahs حينَwhen طَفَونَthey rose into view ظُهراًat noon
كَأَنَّ الظُعنَ حينَ طَفَونَ ظُهراً
سَفينُships البَحرِof the sea يَمَّمنَthey headed toward القَراحاthe open water
سَفينُ البَحرِ يَمَّمنَ القَراحا
As though the women in their howdahs, when they rose into view at noon,
As though when the lances appeared dorsal
Were ships upon the sea, heading for open water.
The ship of the sea inclined towards the hencoop
قِفاstop, you two فَتَبَيَّناthen ascertain, you two أَعُرَيتَناتٍis it ʿUraytanāt?
قِفا فَتَبَيَّنا أَعُرَيتَناتٍ
يُوَخّيis making for الحَيُّthe tribe أَمor أَمّواthey headed for لُباحاLubāḥ
يُوَخّي الحَيُّ أَم أَمّوا لُباحا
Stop, you two, and ascertain: is it ʿUraytanāt
Stop so we can see are you of 'Uraynāt
That the tribe is making for, or have they headed for Lubāḥ?
Does the living frighten or do they bellow with madness?
كَأَنَّas though عَلىupon الحُدوجِthe howdahs نِعاجَfemale antelopes رَملٍof the sands
كَأَنَّ عَلى الحُدوجِ نِعاجَ رَملٍ
زَهاهاstartled them الذُعرُterror أَوor سَمِعَتthey heard صِياحاa cry
زَهاها الذُعرُ أَو سَمِعَت صِياحا
As though upon the howdahs were antelope does of the sands,
As though on the sand dunes, ewes
Startled by terror, or having heard a cry.
Their bleating aroused by alarm or hearing a scream
Sol 6.1