بعثَ الإلهُ إلى ثمودٍ صالحِاً

منه بنورٍ سلامةٍ لا يُشْكِلُ

God sent Salih to Thamud

With light and safety that leaves no confusion

قالوا له أَخرِجْ لنا من صَخْرَةِ

عشراءَ نَحلِبُها إذا ما نَنْزِلُ

They said to him, “Bring out for us from the rock face

A she-camel that we may milk when we descend"

فتصدَّعَتْ عن ناقةٍ فُتنوا بها

وقضاءُ ربّك ليس عنه مَرْحَلُ

So it split open revealing a she-camel and they were tested by her

And your Lord’s decree cannot be averted

في حفلِ دِرَّتِها لِقاحٌ خلفَها

سَقبٌ ويَقدُمها هناكَ ويَنزِلُ

With milk in her udders, she had a newborn calf behind her

Someone leads her there, and settles her down

لما رَأَوْها حافِلاً حَفُّوا بها

ودَعوا بأوعيةٍ وقالوا احمِلوا

When they saw her pregnant, they envied her

And called for containers and said “Load up!”

حتى عَتوا وتمرّدوا وسطَوْا بها

بَطَراً فأسرَعَ في شَواها المُنْصُلُ

Until they transgressed, rebelled, and dominated her

Violently, so the appointed one hastened to slaughter her

خَضبوا فَراسِنَها بقانٍ مُعْجَلٍ

فرغا هنالكَ بَكرُها فاستُؤصِلوا

They dyed her forelegs with blood in haste

So her first-born calf was ripped out, and they were eradicated

قبلَ الصباح بصيحةٍ أخذتهم

بعد الرُّقادِ سَرى إليهم مَنْهَلُ

Before dawn with a cry that seized them

After slumber, what had come to them was unveiled