وَنَخيلٍand palm trees وَقَفنَthey stood فيin مِعطَفِthe bend of الرَمthe sand (first part)
وَنَخيلٍ وَقَفنَ في مِعطَفِ الرَم
لِcompletion of 'sand' وُقوفَthe standing of الحُبشانِthe Abyssinians فيin التيجانِthe crowns
لِ وُقوفَ الحُبشانِ في التيجانِ
And palm trees stood in a bend of the sand,
As Abyssinians stand wearing crowns.
شَرِبَتthey drank بِالأَعجازِthrough the bases حَتّىuntil تَرَوَّتtheir thirst was quenched
شَرِبَت بِالأَعجازِ حَتّى تَرَوَّت
وَتَراءَتand appeared بِزينَةِin the adornment of الرَحمانِthe All-Merciful
وَتَراءَت بِزينَةِ الرَحمانِ
They drank through their bases until their thirst was quenched,
And appeared in the adornment of the All-Merciful.
طَلَعَemerged الطَلعُthe palm blossom فيin الجَماجِمِthe skulls مِنهاof them
طَلَعَ الطَلعُ في الجَماجِمِ مِنها
كَأَكُفٍّlike hands خَرَجنَthey emerged مِنfrom أَردانِsleeves
كَأَكُفٍّ خَرَجنَ مِن أَردانِ
The palm blossoms emerged within their skulls,
Like hands emerging from sleeves.
فَتَراهاso you see them كَأَنَّهاas though they were كُمتُbay-colored ones الخَيthe horses (first part)
فَتَراها كَأَنَّها كُمتُ الخَي
لَcompletion of 'horses' تَوافَتgathered together مُصِرَّةَpricking up الآذانِthe ears
لَ تَوافَت مُصِرَّةَ الآذانِ
So you see them as though they were bay horses,
Gathered together with ears pricked.
أَهُوَis it الطَلعُthe palm blossom أَمor سَلاسِلُchains of عاجٍivory
أَهُوَ الطَلعُ أَم سَلاسِلُ عاجٍ
حُمِلَتwere carried فيin سَفائِنِboats of العِقيانِpure gold
حُمِلَت في سَفائِنِ العِقيانِ
Is it palm blossom, or chains of ivory
Carried in boats of pure gold?
ثُمَّthen عادَتbecame شَبائِهاًlikenesses تَتَباهىvying in beauty
ثُمَّ عادَت شَبائِهاً تَتَباهى
بِأَعاليat the tops of شِبائِهٍsimilar forms أَقرانِpeers
بِأَعالي شِبائِهٍ أَقرانِ
Then they became likenesses, vying in beauty
Atop similar forms, their peers:
خَرَزاتٌbeads مِنَof الزَبَرجَدِthe peridot خُضرٌgreen
خَرَزاتٌ مِنَ الزَبَرجَدِ خُضرٌ
وَهَبَتهاbestowed them السُلوكُthe threads لِلقُضبانِupon the twigs
وَهَبَتها السُلوكُ لِلقُضبانِ
Green beads of peridot,
Which the threads bestowed upon the twigs.
ثُمَّthen حالَchanged النَجّارُthe natural hue وَاِختَلَفَand varied الشَكthe shape (first part)
ثُمَّ حالَ النَجّارُ وَاِختَلَفَ الشَك
لُcompletion of 'shape' فَلاحَتso they gleamed بِجَوهَرِwith the jewel-like quality of الأَلوانِthe colors
لُ فَلاحَت بِجَوهَرِ الأَلوانِ
Then their hue changed, and their shape varied,
So they gleamed with gemlike colors:
بَينَbetween صُفرٍyellow ones فَواقِعٍbrilliant تَتَباهىvying in beauty
بَينَ صُفرٍ فَواقِعٍ تَتَباهى
فيon شَماريخُهاtheir fruit-stalks وَحُمرٍand red ones قَوانيdeep crimson
في شَماريخُها وَحُمرٍ قَواني
Ranging from brilliant yellows, vying in beauty
On their fruit-stalks, to deep crimson reds.