قدindeed لفَّهاenfolded her الليلُthe night بمدلاجwith a night traveler الليلْthe night
قد لفَّها الليلُ بمدلاج الليلْ
ألَفَّstout-thighed هفْهافِslender الإزارthe waistcloth والذيلand the trailing hem
ألَفَّ هفْهافِ الإزار والذيل
Night has enfolded her with a traveler of the night,
The night has wrapped her in the dark blanket of night
Stout-thighed, slender beneath waistcloth and trailing hem,
Bringing together the rustling of her gown and train
ليسis not بِرعديدٍa trembling coward ولاand not بزُمَّيلْa weakling
ليس بِرعديدٍ ولا بزُمَّيلْ
جلْدhardy السرىnight travel مُعودٍaccustomed to طردpursuing الخيلthe horses
جلْد السرى مُعودٍ طرد الخيل
Neither a trembling coward nor a weakling,
Not with thunder or lightning
Hardy on night journeys, accustomed to pursuing horses,
But the smooth hide of Sirius accustomed to driving away horses
إلىto الكمالal-Kamal الدَّارميal-Darimi ذيpossessor of النِّيلْbounty
إلى الكمال الدَّارمي ذي النِّيلْ
إلىto الغمامthe raincloud المُعْتفىsought for bounty ليْثlion الغيلْthe thicket
إلى الغمام المُعْتفى ليْث الغيلْ
To al-Kamal al-Darimi, possessor of bounty,
To Al-Darmi of perfect beauty, of the Nile
To the raincloud sought for bounty, the lion of the thicket.
To the desired cloud, lion of lions
نماهُraised him للعلياءto eminence قَيْلٌa king عنfrom قَيْلْa king
نماهُ للعلياء قَيْلٌ عن قَيْلْ
يغنيهsuffices him لفحscorching blast الحرthe heat عنinstead of شربdrinking القيْلthe midday draught
يغنيه لفح الحر عن شرب القيْل
King after king raised him to eminence;
He was raised to glory, generation after generation
The heat's scorching blast serves him instead of a midday draught;
The heat of summer quenches his thirst better than fresh rainwater
كأنماas though عطاؤهhis bounty مَدُّthe surge السَّيلْthe torrent
كأنما عطاؤه مَدُّ السَّيلْ
As though his bounty were the surge of a torrent.
As if his generosity flows like a flood