طافَvisited الخَيالُthe apparition بِناamong us وَهناًlate at night فَأَرَّقَناand kept us awake
طافَ الخَيالُ بِنا وَهناً فَأَرَّقَنا
مِنfrom آلِthe kin of سُعدىSu‘da فَباتَand remained all night النَومُsleep مُشتَجراheld at bay
مِن آلِ سُعدى فَباتَ النَومُ مُشتَجرا
A phantom visited us at a deep hour of night and kept us awake—
The apparition visited us late at night and kept us awake,
from Suʿdā’s household; and sleep spent the night locked in strife.
From Su‘da’s kin; sleep was held at bay all night.
حَنَّتcried longingly بِأَبوابِat the gates of عَمّانَAmman القطاةُthe sandgrouse وَقَدand already
حَنَّت بِأَبوابِ عَمّانَ القطاةُ وَقَد
قَضىfulfilled بِهِthere صَحبُهاher companions الحاجاتِthe needs وَالوَطَراand the desire
قَضى بِهِ صَحبُها الحاجاتِ وَالوَطَرا
At the gates of Oman, the sandgrouse yearned, though
The sandgrouse cried longingly at Amman’s gates, and by then
her companions had there fulfilled their needs and desire.
Her companions had fulfilled their needs and desire there.
يَسعىstrives مَساعيthe endeavors of آباءٍforefathers لُهُof his سَلَفواwho went before
يَسعى مَساعي آباءٍ لُهُ سَلَفوا
مِنfrom آلِthe house of قَينٍQayn عَلىalong مِطمارِهِمtheir course طَمراin bounds
مِن آلِ قَينٍ عَلى مِطمارِهِم طَمرا
He pursues the endeavors of forefathers of his who went before,
He pursues the endeavors of forefathers who preceded him,
of the house of Qayn, upon their chosen steed—a fleet, high-leaping horse.
From the house of Qayn, bounding along their course.
