ثُعْبانُserpent نهْرٍa river راعَناstartled us قَدُّهُits length
ثُعْبانُ نهْرٍ راعَنا قَدُّهُ
لمّاwhen أتىit came ينْسابُgliding منْfrom جُحْرِهِits burrow
لمّا أتى ينْسابُ منْ جُحْرِهِ
A river-serpent—its length startled us
A serpent, lengthy, glided from his lair
when it came gliding from its burrow.
As he flowed out, smooth-sliding without care.
فاهْتزّتِthen trembled الأغْصانُthe branches منْfrom فوقِهِabove it
فاهْتزّتِ الأغْصانُ منْ فوقِهِ
وصاحَتِand cried out الأطْيارُthe birds فيin إثْرِهِits wake
وصاحَتِ الأطْيارُ في إثْرِهِ
Then the branches trembled above it,
The boughs above him jerked, in fine surprise;
and the birds cried out in its wake.
Behind him birds sent up their sharp cries.