أَقْبَلْنَthey approached فيin الحِبَرَاتِthe striped robes يَقْصِرْنَthey shorten الخُطَىthe steps
أَقْبَلْنَ في الحِبَرَاتِ يَقْصِرْنَ الخُطَى
ويُرِيْنَand they show فيin حُلَلِthe robes of الوَارَشِيْنِthe wood pigeons القَطَاthe sandgrouse
ويُرِيْنَ في حُلَلِ الوَارَشِيْنِ القَطَا
They approached in striped robes, shortening their steps,
and revealed sandgrouse in the robes of wood pigeons.
سِرْبُa flock الجَوَىof passionate longing لاnot الجَوِّof the sky عُوِّدَhas been trained حُسْنُهُits beauty
سِرْبُ الجَوَى لا الجَوِّ عُوِّدَ حُسْنُهُ
أنْto يَرْتَعِيfeed on حَبَّthe seeds of القلوبِhearts ويَلْقُطَاand peck them up
أنْ يَرْتَعِي حَبَّ القلوبِ ويَلْقُطَا
A flock of longing, not of the sky, whose beauty has been trained
to feed on the seeds of hearts and peck them up.
مالَتْswayed مَعَطِفُهُنَّtheir supple sides مِنْfrom سُكْرِthe intoxication of الصِّباyouth
مالَتْ مَعَطِفُهُنَّ مِنْ سُكْرِ الصِّبا
مَيْلاًa sway يُخِيْفُthat frightens قُدُوْدَهاtheir slender forms أنْthat تَسْقُطَاthey may fall
مَيْلاً يُخِيْفُ قُدُوْدَها أنْ تَسْقُطَا
Their supple sides swayed with youth's intoxication,
a sway that makes their slender forms fear they may fall.
وبِمَسْقَطِand at the foot of العَلَمَيْنِthe two peaks أَوْضَحُthe clearest مَعْلَمٍlandmark
وبِمَسْقَطِ العَلَمَيْنِ أَوْضَحُ مَعْلَمٍ
لِمُهَفْهَفٍof a slender-waisted one سَكَنَdwelt in الحَشَاthe heart والمَسْقِطَاand the place at their foot
لِمُهَفْهَفٍ سَكَنَ الحَشَا والمَسْقِطَا
And at the foot of the twin peaks is the clearest landmark
of a slender one who dwelt in my heart and at their foot.
ماhow! أَخْجَلَhe puts to shame البَدْرَthe full moon المُنيْرَthe shining إذاwhen مَشَىhe walks
ما أَخْجَلَ البَدْرَ المُنيْرَ إذا مَشَى
يَختالُhe struts والخُوْطَand the bough النَّضيْرَthe fresh green إذاwhen خَطَاhe steps
يَختالُ والخُوْطَ النَّضيْرَ إذا خَطَا
How he puts the shining full moon to shame when he walks,
strutting, and the fresh green bough when he steps!
ياO وافِدَيْtwo envoys of شَرْقِthe east of البلادِthe land وغَرْبِهاand its west
يا وافِدَيْ شَرْقِ البلادِ وغَرْبِها
اكْرَمْتُماyou two have honored خَيْلَthe steeds of الوِفادَةِthe embassy فاربِطَاso tether them, you two
اكْرَمْتُما خَيْلَ الوِفادَةِ فاربِطَا
O two envoys from the land's east and west,
you have honored your mission's steeds—now tether them.
وَرَأَيْتُماand you two have seen مَلِكَthe king of البَرِيَّةِcreation فاهْنآso rejoice, you two
وَرَأَيْتُما مَلِكَ البَرِيَّةِ فاهْنآ
وَوَرَدْتُماand you two have reached أرْضَthe land of المريَّةِAlmería فاحطِطاso unload, you two
وَوَرَدْتُما أرْضَ المريَّةِ فاحطِطا
And you have seen the king of creation—rejoice!
And you have reached the land of Almería—lay down your loads.
يُدْمِيhe bloodies نُحُوْرَthe throats of الدَّارِعِيْنَarmored warriors إذاwhen ارتأَىhe sees fit
يُدْمِي نُحُوْرَ الدَّارِعِيْنَ إذا ارتأَى
ويُذِلُّand he humbles عِزَّthe might of العالَمِيْنَall the world إذاwhen سَطَاhe strikes
ويُذِلُّ عِزَّ العالَمِيْنَ إذا سَطَا
He bloodies the throats of armored warriors when he sees fit,
and humbles the might of all the world when he strikes.
فَإلَيْكَهاso here it is for you تُنْبِيْكَit tells you أنِّيthat I am رَبُّهاits master
فَإلَيْكَها تُنْبِيْكَ أنِّي رَبُّها
نَسَبُthe lineage of القَطَاthe sandgrouse مُتَبَيِّنٌplain مَهْمَاwhenever قَطَاit gives its call
نَسَبُ القَطَا مُتَبَيِّنٌ مَهْمَا قَطَا
Here it is for you, then: it tells you I am its master;
a sandgrouse's lineage is plain whenever it calls.