إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle الغَمامُthe cloud الجَونُdark أَنجَدَreached Najd صَوبُهُits rainfall
إِذا ما الغَمامُ الجَونُ أَنجَدَ صَوبُهُ
وَأَسفَرَand brightened بِالإيماضِwith lightning flashes وَهوَwhile it is قطوبُfrowning
وَأَسفَرَ بِالإيماضِ وَهوَ قطوبُ
When the dark cloud’s downpour reaches the uplands,
When the dark cloud’s rain reaches Najd,
and it unveils its face in lightning, though it scowls,
and it brightens with lightning, though frowning,
فَلَيتَthen would that نَسيماًa breeze بِالغُوَيرِat al-Ghuwayr يَقُودُهُguides it
فَلَيتَ نَسيماً بِالغُوَيرِ يَقُودُهُ
وَيُمسِكُand holds back عَنهُfrom it شَمأَلٌa north wind وَجَنوبُand a south wind
وَيُمسِكُ عَنهُ شَمأَلٌ وَجَنوبُ
would that a breeze at al-Ghuwayr might guide it,
would that a breeze at al-Ghuwayr might guide it,
and keep the north and south winds away from it—
and the north and south winds would hold back from it.
لَعَلَّperhaps بِهِin it مِنof نَشرِfragrance سَلمىSalma بَقِيَّةًa remnant
لَعَلَّ بِهِ مِن نَشرِ سَلمى بَقِيَّةً
يَضوعُwafts fragrance بِهاthrough it ذاكَthat الحَياrain وَيَطيبُand grows fragrant
يَضوعُ بِها ذاكَ الحَيا وَيَطيبُ
perhaps within it lingers some trace of Salma’s fragrance,
Perhaps it holds a trace of Salma’s fragrance,
so that, with it, that life-giving rain breathes perfume and grows sweet.
with which that rain would waft scent and grow fragrant.
