سحائبُclouds البَرَدِhail المرْفَضِّpouring down صائلةٌcharging fiercely
سحائبُ البَرَدِ المرْفَضِّ صائلةٌ
علىupon جنانِthe gardens of دمشقَDamascus صولةَthe onslaught of الأسدthe lion
على جنانِ دمشقَ صولةَ الأسد
Clouds of cascading hail are charging
Clouds of spurned cold swooping
upon the gardens of Damascus with a lion’s onslaught.
Upon Damascus' gardens, the lion's prowling,
كَمْhow often كسَّرتْthey shattered أصلَa root تفاحٍan apple tree وكمand how often حَطَمَتْthey crushed
كَمْ كسَّرتْ أصلَ تفاحٍ وكم حَطَمَتْ
ورداًroses وعضتand they bit علىinto العنَّابthe jujubes بالزردwith mail-rings
ورداً وعضت على العنَّاب بالزرد
How often they have shattered apple-tree roots, and how often crushed
How many an apple's root have you broken, how many
roses, and bitten into the jujubes with rings of mail.
A rose have you crushed, how you have bitten the jujube with hailstones.