وضمّنتُها كعُقاب الظلامِ

وضمّنتُها كعُقاب الظلامِ

جَوْنةَ فُلْك بها تَرْفُلُ

جَوْنةَ فُلْك بها تَرْفُلُ

And I set within it, like an eagle of darkness,

And I made her like the darkness of night

a dark-hued ship that sweeps proudly upon it.

A boat's hull in which luxury sails

فلا حت بدجلةَ مُرْقَدةً

فلا حت بدجلةَ مُرْقَدةً

كما ذُعِرَ النِقْنِقُ المجفلُ

كما ذُعِرَ النِقْنِقُ المجفلُ

Then she appeared on the Tigris, sent racing,

So she flowed not like the Tigris at rest

like a startled, bolting male ostrich.

As the starling was startled and fluttered

وكاد يطيّرها بالفضاء

وكاد يطيّرها بالفضاء

شراعُ مرتْ دَرَّه الأحبلُ

شراعُ مرتْ دَرَّه الأحبلُ

And she was almost sent flying through the open air

And her sail almost flew her through space

by a sail whose yield the ropes had milked.

When the ropes were slackened and hung

كأنّ هماهم حَيزُومِها

كأنّ هماهم حَيزُومِها

هديرُ القُروم بها أفكَلُ

هديرُ القُروم بها أفكَلُ

As though the low rumblings of her breast

As if their care was her pitched ceiling

were the bellowing of bull camels seized by a shudder.

The clatter of oars which grazed her side

إذا البغيُ أعندها في المسيرِ

إذا البغيُ أعندها في المسيرِ

تلاقي بها قُلّبُ حُوّلُ

تلاقي بها قُلّبُ حُوّلُ

When waywardness makes her stray on her voyage,

When the wicked taunt her on her course

a shrewd, resourceful man takes her in hand.

She meets with him who twists and turns

يقوّمها جورُ سُكّانِها

يقوّمها جورُ سُكّانِها

إذا هي عن قَصْدِها تَعدِلُ

إذا هي عن قَصْدِها تَعدِلُ

Her rudder’s crooked turn sets her straight,

Her people's tyranny keeps her on track

when she veers away from her intended course.

When she strays from the path she rights herself

فأفضَى بها متنُ مغروربٍ

فأفضَى بها متنُ مغروربٍ

يسامي غَوارِبَهُ أشكَلُ

يسامي غَوارِبَهُ أشكَلُ

Then the back of a brimming river bore her forth,

So a vain ship's hull flowed out

while reddish-white water rivaled its wave-crests.

Raising up waves crested and dark

كأنّ تلاطم آذّيه

كأنّ تلاطم آذّيه

رباط لها هُدَبُ مُخْمَلُ

رباط لها هُدَبُ مُخْمَلُ

As though the clashing of its surging waves

As if the pounding of harm upon her

were a band around her, with velvety fringes.

Were ropes and cushions of velvet