ومُخطَفِ الخَصرِ بُرُدُهُ حَبِرٌ
نَحذَرُه وهو خائفٌ حَذِرُ
And a slender-waisted one whose mantles are richly patterned:
His slender waist's coat is ink
we fear him, though he is afraid and wary.
We fear him yet he is wary and cautious
مُجنَّحٌ طارَ في مُجنَّحةٍ
تصعَدُ طوراً به وتَنحَدِرُ
Winged, he flew among a winged throng,
Winged he flew in wings
which at times rises with him, then descends.
Rising and descending a mountain with it
كأنها والرِّياحُ تَنشُرُها
غرائبُ الزَّهْرِ حينَ يَنتَثرُ
It seems, as the winds spread it,
As if they are the winds spreading it
like rare blossoms when they scatter.
Wonders of flowers when scattered
لها حُمَاتٌ كأنَّها شَعَرٌ
تَظهَرُ مُسوَدَّةً وتَستَترُ
It has stings resembling hairs,
It has protectors as if they are hair
which appear black and hide from sight.
Appearing blackened and concealed
قد أُذهِبَتْ في الجبينِ غُرُّتُهُ
إذ فُضِّضَتْ في جِبَاهها الغُرَرُ
The blaze on his forehead has been gilded,
The ignorance on his forehead was removed
while the blazes on their foreheads have been silvered.
When the ignorance in her foreheads was unpacked
سِلاحُه الدَّهْرَ في مُؤَخَّرِهِ
يَفتُكُ طَوراً به ويَنتَصرُ
His weapon is forever at his rear;
His weapon against fate is behind him
at times he kills with it and prevails.
Vanquishing it sometimes and sometimes defeated
كأنَّما شَطْرُ ما يُجرِّدُهُ
من بينِ فَكَّيْهِ حَيَّةٌ ذَكَرُ
It is as though half of what he unsheathes
As if half of what he unsheathes
from between his jaws were a male serpent.
Between his jaws is a male serpent
Sol 6.1