وَفيهنَ بَيضاءُ دارِيّةٌ

وَفيهنَ بَيضاءُ دارِيّةٌ

دَهاسٌ مُعنّنةُ المُرتَدى

دَهاسٌ مُعنّنةُ المُرتَدى

Among them is a fair woman, scented with Darin perfume,

In it is a white, sociable doe,

soft-bodied, banded where her mantle rests,

A red deer with elegant attire,

بِعطفين من عَوهَجٍ عَينُها

بِعطفين من عَوهَجٍ عَينُها

إِلى الفرعِ والخَصَلات العُلا

إِلى الفرعِ والخَصَلات العُلا

about two curves like a long-necked doe's, whose eye

With two arms of splendorous eyes,

turns toward the bough and the high tufts.

Looking up to the branch and high tresses.

أَخَذتُ قُرَينَةَ مُلتاحَةً

أَخَذتُ قُرَينَةَ مُلتاحَةً

قطوفَ العَشيِّ مِزاقَ الضُّحى

قطوفَ العَشيِّ مِزاقَ الضُّحى

I took a thirst-worn companion,

I took an agreeable companion,

slow in the evening, swift in the forenoon,

Autumn eve's harvest, dawn's provision,

بُكوراً تُبَلِّغُها بِالسِّبا

بُكوراً تُبَلِّغُها بِالسِّبا

لِ مِن عَينِ جَبَّةَ ريحِ الثَّرى

لِ مِن عَينِ جَبَّةَ ريحِ الثَّرى

an early riser, reached at her whiskers

News she conveys with whistles

by the scent of damp earth from the spring of Jubbah.

From the eye of earth's wind-blown garb,

مُروَّعةً تَستَحيلُ الشخوصُ

مُروَّعةً تَستَحيلُ الشخوصُ

مِنَ الخَوفِ تَسمَعُ ما لا تَرى

مِنَ الخَوفِ تَسمَعُ ما لا تَرى

Frightened, she scrutinizes distant figures;

Frightened, shadows transform into figures,

from fear, she hears what she cannot see.

Hearing what cannot be seen.

لَها مَلمعانِ إِذا أَوغَفا

لَها مَلمعانِ إِذا أَوغَفا

يَحُثّانِ جؤجؤها بِالوَحى

يَحُثّانِ جؤجؤها بِالوَحى

She has two gleaming wings; when they beat,

When sleepy, two twinklers

they urge her breast onward with speed.

Rush her blink with revelation.

وَفي كُلِّ وَجهٍ لها مَيفَعٌ

وَفي كُلِّ وَجهٍ لها مَيفَعٌ

وَفي كُلِّ وَجهٍ لَها مُرتَعى

وَفي كُلِّ وَجهٍ لَها مُرتَعى

In every direction she has a height to reach,

In each face she has a refuge,

and in every direction she has a pasture.

In each face she has a meadow.

فَلَم أَر راويَةً مِثلها

فَلَم أَر راويَةً مِثلها

وَلا مِثل ما فَعَلت في الهُدى

وَلا مِثل ما فَعَلت في الهُدى

I have seen no water-carrier like her,

I've not seen a storyteller like her,

nor anything like what she did in finding the way.

Nor the like of what she did in guidance.

تقدمها شحشح جائِز

تقدمها شحشح جائِز

لماء قعير يُريد الهُدى

لماء قعير يُريد الهُدى

A nimble traveller went ahead of her,

With her walks an estimable gray,

toward water in a deep hollow, seeking the way.

Seeking water to quench its thirst.

هَميجٌ تَعلَّلُ عَن خاذِلٍ

هَميجٌ تَعلَّلُ عَن خاذِلٍ

نَتيجِ ثَلاثٍ بَغيضِ الثَّرى

نَتيجِ ثَلاثٍ بَغيضِ الثَّرى

Thirst-worn, she seeks distraction from one left behind,

Clamoring, complaining of a deserter,

offspring of three, averse to the damp earth.

Progeny of three, despised by land,

تَصيدُ الجَليسَ بأَزيانِها

تَصيدُ الجَليسَ بأَزيانِها

وَدلٍّ أَجابَت عَليهِ الرُّقى

وَدلٍّ أَجابَت عَليهِ الرُّقى

She ensnares her companion with her adornments

Hunting company with its misleading,

and coy grace to which incantations have responded.

An oracle it answered with incantation.