وَالسُّفنُ قَد جَلَّلها قارُها

كَأَنَّها أَعراءُ حُبشانِ

The ships are clad in their armor

As if they were bare Abyssinians

كَأَنَّها في دارِ مِضمارِها

خَيلٌ يُصَنّعنَ لميدانِ

As if in their racing ground

Horses parading for the arena

كَأَنَّها وَالماءُ ميدانُها

في الجَوِّ منقضَّةُ عِقبانِ

As if they and the sea their battlefield

Hawks swooping in the air

تَرى المَقاذيفَ بِأَحنائِها

كَأَنَّما تَرمي بِنيرانِ

You see the oars in their rib cages

As if throwing flames

لِذاك تَمشي مَشيَ صاحٍ فَلَو

جاوز أَمست شبهَ نشوانِ

That is why they walk proudly

Had they sped, they'd resemble gazelles

كَالأَعينِ الحورِ مجاذيفُها

مِن حَولِها أَشفارُ أَجفانِ

Their oars like the eyes of houris

Fringed by lashes all around

كَأَنَّما أَبراجُها في الوَغى

ترمي مِن النِّفطِ بِبُركانِ

As if their towers in the fray

Spewed naphtha from volcanoes