لَقَد نَظَرَت عَنزٌ إِلى الجَزعِ نَظرَةً

لَقَد نَظَرَت عَنزٌ إِلى الجَزعِ نَظرَةً

إِلى مِثلِ مَوجِ المُفعَمِ المُتَلاطِمِ

إِلى مِثلِ مَوجِ المُفعَمِ المُتَلاطِمِ

Indeed, ʿAnz cast a glance toward al-Jazʿ,

A ewe looked upon the shepherd

At something like the crashing waves of a brimming sea,

As waves heave upon each other when they swell,

إِلى حِميَرٍ إِذ وَجَّهوا مِن بِلادِهِم

إِلى حِميَرٍ إِذ وَجَّهوا مِن بِلادِهِم

تَضيقُ لَهُم لَأياً فُروجُ المَخارِمِ

تَضيقُ لَهُم لَأياً فُروجُ المَخارِمِ

At Himyar, as they set out from their lands;

Or as donkeys from their homeland turned

The openings of the mountain passes scarcely had room for them.

Though the mountain passes narrowed for them as well.

رَأَت فَوقَ رَأسِ الكَلبِ شَخصاً بِكَفِّهِ

رَأَت فَوقَ رَأسِ الكَلبِ شَخصاً بِكَفِّهِ

عَلى البُعدِ كِنفٌ أَو خَصيفَةَ لاحِمِ

عَلى البُعدِ كِنفٌ أَو خَصيفَةَ لاحِمِ

Above al-Kalb’s summit she saw a figure holding in his hand,

She saw a figure waving up ahead

Far off, a leather pouch or a cobbler’s patched sandal.

Like a robe or garment flapping in the distance dim,

فَكَذَّبَها سُكّانُ جَوٍّ فَصُبِّحوا

فَكَذَّبَها سُكّانُ جَوٍّ فَصُبِّحوا

بِتِسعينَ أَلفاً كَالأُسودِ الضَراعِمِ

بِتِسعينَ أَلفاً كَالأُسودِ الضَراعِمِ

Then Jaww’s inhabitants called her a liar, and were attacked at dawn

Yet the inhabitants of the air denied what she had said,

By ninety thousand, like mighty lions.

Ninety thousand strong like howling wolves and fiery lions grim.

وَما كَذَبَت عَنزٌ وَلَكِن تَبَيَّنَت

وَما كَذَبَت عَنزٌ وَلَكِن تَبَيَّنَت

كَما أَبصَرَتنا بِنتَ قَيسِ بنِ عاصِمِ

كَما أَبصَرَتنا بِنتَ قَيسِ بنِ عاصِمِ

And ʿAnz did not lie, but saw clearly,

No ewe did lie, but she perceived aright

Just as the daughter of Qays ibn ʿAsim saw us.

As we were seen by Qais ibn 'Asim's daughter keen and slim.