كَمmany a مَوقِفٍbattlefield مُتَسَربِلٍclad
كَم مَوقِفٍ مُتَسَربِلٍ
ثَوبَa robe العَجاجِthe swirling dust الأَسحَمِjet-black
ثَوبَ العَجاجِ الأَسحَمِ
How many a battlefield, clad
How many situations clad
in a robe of jet-black dust,
in the robe of pale adversity
وافَيتُهُI reached it لَمّاwhen تَبَسfirst part of 'smiled' (continued next line)
وافَيتُهُ لَمّا تَبَس
سَمَcompletion of 'smiled' عَنrevealing ثَناياfront teeth الأَسهُمِthe arrows
سَمَ عَن ثَنايا الأَسهُمِ
I reached when it smiled,
I have met when parched dry -
baring the teeth of arrows;
Poison dripped from the folds of arrows -
فَخَضِبتُthen I dyed أَطرافَtips القَناthe spears
فَخَضِبتُ أَطرافَ القَنا
فيهِin it بِحَنّاءَwith henna الدَمِthe blood
فيهِ بِحَنّاءَ الدَمِ
then I dyed the tips of spears
And with his blood dyed the edges
there with the henna of blood.
of my spear with henna.