وَغَيثٍ تَأَلَّفَهُ نَوؤُهُ

وَغَيثٍ تَأَلَّفَهُ نَوؤُهُ

فَأَلبَسَهُ غلَلاً أَربَدا

فَأَلبَسَهُ غلَلاً أَربَدا

And a rain cloud, which its rain-star gathered

And a rain cloud which his stars have befriended

then clothed in dusky veils.

Has clothed him in ice chains, chill and unbending,

تَظَلُّ الرِياحُ تَهادى بِهِ

تَظَلُّ الرِياحُ تَهادى بِهِ

إِذا ما تَحَيَّرَ أَو عَرَّدا

إِذا ما تَحَيَّرَ أَو عَرَّدا

The winds keep bearing it gently along

The winds blow gently, cradling him tender,

whenever it falters or veers away.

Whene’er he strays uncertain or meandering,

صَدوقُ المَخيلَةِ داني الظِلا

صَدوقُ المَخيلَةِ داني الظِلا

لِ قَد وَعَدَ الأَرضَ أَن تَرغَدا

لِ قَد وَعَدَ الأَرضَ أَن تَرغَدا

True to its promise of rain, its shade hangs low;

Trustworthy of imagination, nearby shade,

it has promised the earth a life of plenty.

For he has promised the land ease and plentitude,

كَأَنَّ تَوالِيَةُ بِالعَرا

كَأَنَّ تَوالِيَةُ بِالعَرا

ءِ أَهوى إِلى الجَلمَدِ الجَلمَدا

ءِ أَهوى إِلى الجَلمَدِ الجَلمَدا

As though its successive peals in the open country—

As if the Pleiades in empty sky displayed

as it hurled boulder against boulder—

Yearned for the solid ice, the hardened magnitude,

تَداعى تَميمٍ غَداةَ الجِفا

تَداعى تَميمٍ غَداةَ الجِفا

رِ تَدعو زُرارَةَ أَو مَعبَدا

رِ تَدعو زُرارَةَ أَو مَعبَدا

were Tamim’s rallying cries on the morning of al-Jifar,

Tamim tribe gathered after frost had parted,

calling on Zurarah or Ma‘bad.

Calling on Zurarah or Ma’bad.