حَمَلتُ عَلَيها ما لَوَ انَّ حَمامَةً

حَمَلتُ عَلَيها ما لَوَ انَّ حَمامَةً

تُحَمّلُهُ طارَت بِهِ في الخَفاخِفِ

تُحَمّلُهُ طارَت بِهِ في الخَفاخِفِ

I placed upon her a load that a dove, if

I burdened him with what if a dove

made to bear it, could fly with through the open expanses:

Were burdened with, it would have flown with it through the air.

نُطوعاً وَأَنساعاً وَأَشلاءَ مُدنفٍ

نُطوعاً وَأَنساعاً وَأَشلاءَ مُدنفٍ

بَرى جِسمَهُ طولُ السُّرى في المَخاوِفِ

بَرى جِسمَهُ طولُ السُّرى في المَخاوِفِ

leather mats, straps, and the limbs of an ailing man,

Willingly and involuntarily with dislocated shoulder blades,

whose body long night travel through places of dread had worn away.

His body seen elongated in fearful privation.

فَرُحنا كَما راحَت قَطاةٌ تَنَوَّرَت

فَرُحنا كَما راحَت قَطاةٌ تَنَوَّرَت

لأَزغَبَ ملقىً بَينَ غُبرٍ صَفاصِفِ

لأَزغَبَ ملقىً بَينَ غُبرٍ صَفاصِفِ

So we set out as a sandgrouse set out, scanning

So we were relieved as a she-cat is relieved

for a downy chick lying amid dust-gray, barren flats.

When she finds a plump bird amid white sand dunes.

تَرى الطَّيرَ وَاليَربوعَ يَبحَثنَ وَطاها

تَرى الطَّيرَ وَاليَربوعَ يَبحَثنَ وَطاها

وَيَنقُرنَ وَطءَ المَنسِمِ المُتَقاذِفِ

وَيَنقُرنَ وَطءَ المَنسِمِ المُتَقاذِفِ

You see birds and jerboas scratching at her tracks,

You see the birds and jerboas searching its traces

and pecking at the imprint of her bounding hoof.

And pecking the tread of the fleeing, darting prey.