وغُضْفاً يَنْتَظِمْنَ الأرضَ نَظْماً

وغُضْفاً يَنْتَظِمْنَ الأرضَ نَظْماً

تنثّرُ فيهِ حَبَّاتُ النُّفوسِ

تنثّرُ فيهِ حَبَّاتُ النُّفوسِ

And droop-eared hounds range the earth in ordered ranks;

And blossoms that adorn the earth in order

Within that array, the beads of souls are scattered.

In which souls' beads are scattered about

لها في كُلِّ مَعْرَكَةٍ ضجاجٌ

لها في كُلِّ مَعْرَكَةٍ ضجاجٌ

وداهيةٌ كَداهيةِ البَسُوسِ

وداهيةٌ كَداهيةِ البَسُوسِ

In every clash they raise a clamor,

For them in every battle there is clamor

And a calamity like the calamity of al-Basus.

And cunning like the cunning of foxes

وسِرْبُ حُبَارِياتٍ فَوقَ جَلْسٍ

وسِرْبُ حُبَارِياتٍ فَوقَ جَلْسٍ

أُشَبِّهُهُ بِمَشْيَخَةٍ جُلُوسِ

أُشَبِّهُهُ بِمَشْيَخَةٍ جُلُوسِ

And a flock of houbara bustards on high ground—

And swarm of locusts above a sitting

I liken it to a group of seated elders.

I liken it to a sitting assembly of elders