قَدoften أَغتَديI set out early فيin فَلَقِthe breaking الإِصباحِof dawn
قَد أَغتَدي في فَلَقِ الإِصباحِ
بِمُطعَمٍwith a well-fed hound يوجِزُtakes little time فيin سَراحِrunning loose
بِمُطعَمٍ يوجِزُ في سَراحِ
Often I set out at dawn's first breaking,
At dawn I set forth well provisioned
I venture forth at the break of dawn,
with a well-fed hound, swift when let loose,
On a steed accomplished, triumph assured;
With a well-fed hunter, swift in his release,
مُؤَيَّدٍsupported بِالنَصرِby victory وَالنَجاحِand success
مُؤَيَّدٍ بِالنَصرِ وَالنَجاحِ
غَذَتهُnourished him أَظآرٌfoster mothers مِنَamong اللِقاحِmilch she-camels
غَذَتهُ أَظآرٌ مِنَ اللِقاحِ
favored with victory and success.
Nourished it was on the pollen of flowers,
Aided by victory and sure success,
Foster mothers among the milch camels nourished him.
A piebald, bold, and tireless in raid.
Nourished by wet-nurses from the milking camels,
فَهوَso he is كَميشٌnimble ذَرِبُkeen-edged السِلاحِweapons
فَهوَ كَميشٌ ذَرِبُ السِلاحِ
لاnot يَسأَمُhe tires الدَهرَall his life مِنَof الضِباحِbarking
لا يَسأَمُ الدَهرَ مِنَ الضِباحِ
So he is nimble, his weapons keen;
It champs at the bit through the long night watch,
He is agile, armed with weapons sharp and keen,
he never tires, his whole life long, of barking,
Pawing, neighing, eager for morning light.
Never tiring, as time wears on, of the chase's cry,
مُنَجِّدٌvaliant يَأشَرُhe exults لِلصِياحِat the shouting
مُنَجِّدٌ يَأشَرُ لِلصِياحِ
ماnot البَرقُlightning فيin ذيone bearing عارِضٍa cloud bank لَمّاحِflashing
ما البَرقُ في ذي عارِضٍ لَمّاحِ
valiant, exulting at the shouting.
Swift, when the clarion sounds for the charge,
A seasoned aide, exulting at the shout.
Neither lightning in a sky with a flashing cloud,
As lightning that cleaves through the thunderclouds.
Not the lightning in a flashing storm-cloud,
وَلاnor اِنقِضاضُthe plunging الكَوكَبِof the star المُنصاحِstreaking
وَلا اِنقِضاضُ الكَوكَبِ المُنصاحِ
وَلاnor اِنبِتاتُthe breaking loose الحَوأَبِthe large projectile المُنداحِbroad and rounded
وَلا اِنبِتاتُ الحَوأَبِ المُنداحِ
nor the plunge of a streaking star,
Not a planet that flames and suddenly fades,
Nor the plummeting of a cleaving star,
nor a great, broad projectile breaking loose,
Not the grass that springs up when sweet showers fall,
Nor the snapping of the rope in a wide well,
حينَwhen دَناit drew near مِنto راحَةِthe palm المِشاحِof the thrower
حينَ دَنا مِن راحَةِ المِشاحِ
أَجَدُّmore vigorous فيin السُرعَةِspeed مِنthan سِرياحِSiryah
أَجَدُّ في السُرعَةِ مِن سِرياحِ
when it draws near the thrower's palm,
Is as fleet as it is, when it senses the rest,
Just as it nears the palm of the drawer,
is swifter than Siryah.
And bounds to the battle o’er hillside and dale.
Is sharper in speed than a darting arrow.
يَكادُhe almost عِندَamid ثَمَلِthe intoxication المِراحِof exuberance
يَكادُ عِندَ ثَمَلِ المِراحِ
يَطيرُhe flies فيin الجَوِّthe air بِلاwithout جِناحِa wing
يَطيرُ في الجَوِّ بِلا جِناحِ
In his drunken exuberance, he almost
When it takes to heel, chasing the phantom forms,
He almost, in the drunkenness of his glee,
flies through the air without wings.
It could fly through the air, though no wings had it grown.
Takes flight through the air without a wing,
إِذاwhen سَماrises الخايِلُthe watchful one لِلأَشباحِtoward the silhouettes
إِذا سَما الخايِلُ لِلأَشباحِ
يَفتَرُّhe parts his jaws عَنto reveal مِثلِthe like of شَباthe points الرِماحِof spears
يَفتَرُّ عَن مِثلِ شَبا الرِماحِ
When the watchful hound rises toward the silhouettes,
Full many a steed of generous breed and fire
When the proud shape rises to chase the phantoms,
he bares teeth like the points of spears.
Has it outstripped, their strength and pride overthrown.
He bares a grin like the points of spears.
فَكَمso many وَكَمand so many ذيone bearing جُدَّةٍa stripe لِياحِgleaming white
فَكَم وَكَم ذي جُدَّةٍ لِياحِ
وَنازِبٍand a bleating buck أَعفَرَdust-colored ذيpossessed of طَماحِa high-held head
وَنازِبٍ أَعفَرَ ذي طَماحِ
So many, so many a striped, gleaming-white beast,
It leaves them behind, their flanks bleeding and torn,
For how many a white-streaked buck,
and a dust-colored, bleating buck with head held high,
It leaves them behind, their flanks bleeding and torn.
And braying stag, dust-hued and high of head,
غادَرَهُhe left it مُضَرَّجَblood-smeared الصُفّاحِthe flanks
غادَرَهُ مُضَرَّجَ الصُفّاحِ
غادَرَهُhe left it مُضَرَّجَblood-smeared الصُفّاحِthe flanks
غادَرَهُ مُضَرَّجَ الصُفّاحِ
he has left with blood-drenched flanks!
Has he left blood-stained upon the neck,
he has left with blood-drenched flanks!
Has he left blood-stained upon the neck.
Partial English translation: 18 of 20 Arabic lines translated.