قَدsometimes أَغتَديI set out early وَاللَيلُand the night فيin اِعتِكارِهِits thick darkness
قَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ في اِعتِكارِهِ
بِأَغضَفٍwith a droop-eared hound يَموجُripples فيin شِوارِهِhis handsome form
بِأَغضَفٍ يَموجُ في شِوارِهِ
Sometimes I set out early, while night is still thick with darkness,
I have mounted and the night has donned its cloak,
I venture forth while night is deep in gathered gloom,
With a droop-eared hound whose handsome form ripples,
With waves billowing darkly beneath its surface.
With a lop-eared hound that ripples in his leash's hold,
مُؤَدَّبٍwell-trained ماnot يُصطَلىone can warm oneself بِنارِهِat his fire
مُؤَدَّبٍ ما يُصطَلى بِنارِهِ
كَالوَتَرِlike a bowstring المُخضَرِّgreen فيin إِمرارِهِits tight twisting
كَالوَتَرِ المُخضَرِّ في إِمرارِهِ
Well-trained, yet none can warm themselves at his fire,
Tamed is the fire that flickers in its depths,
Well-trained, yet burning with a fire no man dares approach,
Like a green bowstring twisted tight.
Like a green cord gliding through the currents.
Taut as a twisted bowstring, strained and tightly wound,
أَشرَفَrose مَتناهُhis two back muscles عَلىabove فِقارِهِhis vertebrae
أَشرَفَ مَتناهُ عَلى فِقارِهِ
يَسبِقُoutstrips مَرَّthe passing of الريحِthe wind فيin إِحضارِهِhis galloping
يَسبِقُ مَرَّ الريحِ في إِحضارِهِ
The twin muscles of his back rise above his spine;
It climbs up the ridge line of its back
His muscular back rises high above his spine,
He outruns the passing wind in his gallop,
And outstrips the wind in its onward rush.
He outstrips the rushing wind when dashing in the chase,
فيwith حِسِّperception جِنّيٍّa jinn عَلىin إِصرارِهِhis persistence
في حِسِّ جِنّيٍّ عَلى إِصرارِهِ
سِمعُa simʿ (wolf–hyena hybrid) فَلاةٍa wilderness غَيرَwithout ماan emphatic particle اِقشِعرارِهِits bristling
سِمعُ فَلاةٍ غَيرَ ما اِقشِعرارِهِ
With a jinn's perception, firm in his resolve:
With the insistence of an obstinate jinni
Possessing a Jinni's senses in his fierce resolve,
A desert simʿ, lacking only its bristling coat.
The howling wasteland echoes its shuddering advance.
A desert wolf in spirit, though with sleek and smooth-skinned hide,
لاnot يُمهِلُgives respite to الظَبيَthe gazelle عَلىdespite أَقدارِهِits powers
لا يُمهِلُ الظَبيَ عَلى أَقدارِهِ
حَتّىuntil يُرىit is seen بَينَbetween شَباthe sharp points of أَظفارِهِhis claws
حَتّى يُرى بَينَ شَبا أَظفارِهِ
He gives the gazelle no respite, for all its powers,
It does not wait for the gazelle to match its stride
He grants the gazelle no respite, whatever its destined span,
Until it is seen between the sharp points of his claws,
Before its claws appear amidst the brush.
Until it lies captured fast between his sharp-edged claws,
قَبلَbefore رُجوعِthe return of الطَرفِthe gaze عَنfrom إِمرارِهِits sweeping movement
قَبلَ رُجوعِ الطَرفِ عَن إِمرارِهِ
مَحَلُّهُhis dwelling مِنfrom يَمَنٍYemen وَدارِهِand his home
مَحَلُّهُ مِن يَمَنٍ وَدارِهِ
Before the gaze returns from its sweep.
Before the gaze can turn from its passage
Quicker than a glancing eye can turn back from its gaze,
His dwelling and his home are in Yemen.
It has reached its destination south and home.
Tracing his noble lineage to Yemen's ancient lands.