عَلى جَسرَةٍ لا يُدرِكُ الطَرفُ شأوَها

عَلى جَسرَةٍ لا يُدرِكُ الطَرفُ شأوَها

إذا جَدَّ مِن نصِّ الوَجيفِ ذُمورُ

إذا جَدَّ مِن نصِّ الوَجيفِ ذُمورُ

Upon a sturdy she-camel whose course the eye cannot follow,

On a bridge, whose breadth the eye cannot perceive,

when earnest goading presses her to her swiftest trot.

When the visitor is wearied by the great breadth of the void,

مُوَثِّقَةٍ لَم تَنحَضِ البيدُ لَحمَها

مُوَثِّقَةٍ لَم تَنحَضِ البيدُ لَحمَها

قَوائِمُها فَوقَ الصُخورِ صُخورُ

قَوائِمُها فَوقَ الصُخورِ صُخورُ

Firmly built, the deserts have not wasted her flesh;

Firmly constructed, its flesh never wasted by time,

her legs above the rocks are rocks.

Its legs above the rocks are rocks,

تُفَتَّقُ عَن ذاتِ الوِجادِ جرومُها

تُفَتَّقُ عَن ذاتِ الوِجادِ جرومُها

ولا يَبلُغُ الرُكبانُ حَيثُ تُغيرُ

ولا يَبلُغُ الرُكبانُ حَيثُ تُغيرُ

Her great bulk unfolds, revealing a creature of firm build.

Splitting itself from its loins are its wounds,

And riders cannot reach where she charges.

And the travelers reach not where it turns,

مُضَبَّرَةٍ جَلسٍ فأمّا عِظامُها

مُضَبَّرَةٍ جَلسٍ فأمّا عِظامُها

فَرَصفٌ وأمّا ليطُها فَحريرُ

فَرَصفٌ وأمّا ليطُها فَحريرُ

Massively built and tall—as for her bones,

Covered with layers of high seats, as for its bones,

they are close-set stones; and her hide is silk.

They are like pavement, and as for its sides, they are like silk.

كأنّي إذا عالَيتُ جَوزَةَ مَتنِها

كأنّي إذا عالَيتُ جَوزَةَ مَتنِها

عَلى عُلويّاتِ الرياحِ أسيرُ

عَلى عُلويّاتِ الرياحِ أسيرُ

It is as though, when I mount the middle of her back,

It seems as if, when I ascend the incline of its back,

I travel upon the upper reaches of the winds.

On the most exalted parts of the winds, I am a captive.