وَبَناتُand the daughters of نَعشٍNaʿsh يَستَدِرنَcircle كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَبَناتُ نَعشٍ يَستَدِرنَ كَأَنَّها
بَقَراتُwild cows رَملٍof the sands خَلفَهُنَّbehind them جآذِرُwild-cow calves
بَقَراتُ رَملٍ خَلفَهُنَّ جآذِرُ
And the Daughters of Naʿsh circle, as though they were
The daughters of Na'sh circle about as though they were
wild cows of the sands, with calves behind them.
Cows of sand, behind them roots cleaving.
وَالفَرقَدانِand the two Farqad stars كصاحبَينِlike two companions تَعاقَداpledged to each other
وَالفَرقَدانِ كصاحبَينِ تَعاقَدا
تاللَهِby God تَبرَحُyou shall not depart أَوuntil تَزولmoves عَتايرُʿAtāʾir
تاللَهِ تَبرَحُ أَو تَزول عَتايرُ
And the two Farqad stars are like two companions who swore:
And Alfarqadan like two confederates contracted
“By God, you shall not depart until ʿAtāʾir moves.”
By God! they move not, nor fail to fulfill their course.
وَالجَديُand al-Jady كالرَجُلِlike a man الَّذيwho ماnot أَنat all (emphasis) لَهُfor him
وَالجَديُ كالرَجُلِ الَّذي ما أَن لَهُ
عَضدٌa supporting arm وَلَيسَand there is no لَهُfor him حَليفٌan ally ناصِرُgiving aid
عَضدٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ حَليفٌ ناصِرُ
And al-Jady is like a man who has no
And Aljadhi like a man who has no
supporting arm, nor an ally to aid him.
Supporter, no ally to defend him.
وَتزاوَرَand veered away العَيّوقُal-ʿAyyūq عَنfrom مَجداتِهِits well-fed herd
وَتزاوَرَ العَيّوقُ عَن مَجداتِهِ
كالثَورِlike a bull يُضرِبُturns aside حينَwhen عافَgrew averse الباقِرُthe herd of cows
كالثَورِ يُضرِبُ حينَ عافَ الباقِرُ
And al-ʿAyyūq veered away from its well-fed herd,
And the Goat visited its glory, like a bull
like a bull turning aside when the cows shun it.
When the herdsman ceases from urging him on.
وَتَرفَّعَand rose high النِسرانِthe two Eagles هَذاthis one باسِطٌspreading its wings
وَتَرفَّعَ النِسرانِ هَذا باسِطٌ
يَهويswoops down لسقطَتِهِto its landing وَهَذاand this one كاسِرُfolding its wings
يَهوي لسقطَتِهِ وَهَذا كاسِرُ
And the two Eagles rose high: this one spreads its wings,
And the Eagles soared, one spreading its pinions
swooping down to alight, while that one folds them.
To swoop for its quarry, another cleaving the air.
وَالنَطعُand al-Naṭʿ يَلمَعُgleams وَالبطَينُand al-Buṭayn كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَالنَطعُ يَلمَعُ وَالبطَينُ كَأَنَّهُ
كَبشٌa ram يطَرِّدُهُdrives it لحَتفٍtoward death تائِرُan avenger
كَبشٌ يطَرِّدُهُ لحَتفٍ تائِرُ
And al-Naṭʿ gleams, and al-Buṭayn seems
And An-Nata' gleams and Albatin as though he were
a ram that an avenger drives toward its death.
A ram driven off by a shepherd hastening away.
وَالحوتُand the Fish يَسبَحُswims فيin السَماءِthe sky كسِبحِهِlike its swimming
وَالحوتُ يَسبَحُ في السَماءِ كسِبحِهِ
فيin الماءِwater وَهوَand it بِكُلِّin every سبحٍkind of swimming ماهِرُskilled
في الماءِ وَهوَ بِكُلِّ سبحٍ ماهِرُ
And the Fish swims in the sky as it swims
And the Whale swims in the sky as it swims in the sea,
in water, and it is skilled in every kind of swimming.
Skilled in every manner of swimming.
وَكَواكِبُand the stars of الجَوزاءِal-Jawzāʾ مِثلُlike عَوائِدٍaged she-camels
وَكَواكِبُ الجَوزاءِ مِثلُ عَوائِدٍ
تَمريyield milk لَهُنَّbelonging to them قَوادِمٌfore-teats وأَواخِرُand hind-teats
تَمري لَهُنَّ قَوادِمٌ وأَواخِرُ
And the stars of al-Jawzāʾ are like aged she-camels,
And the stars of Jauza like a flock
whose fore and hind teats yield milk.
That passes by them coming and going.
وَكأَنَّand as though مَرَزمَهاits Marzam عَلىon آثارِهاits tracks
وَكأَنَّ مَرَزمَها عَلى آثارِها
فَحلٌa camel stallion عَلىon آثارِthe tracks of شَولٍdry she-camels هادِرُbellowing
فَحلٌ عَلى آثارِ شَولٍ هادِرُ
And its Marzam, following in its wake, is like
And as though its landmarks on its course
a bellowing camel stallion trailing dry she-camels.
Were a troop on the track of a cloud pouring rain.
وَتَعَرَّضَتand came into view هاديthe leading stars of السُعودِal-Suʿūd كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَتَعَرَّضَت هادي السُعودِ كَأَنَّها
رَكبٌa caravan تأوَّبَreturned by night بَطنَthe valley of تَبعٍTabaʿ مائِرُbearing provisions
رَكبٌ تأوَّبَ بَطنَ تَبعٍ مائِرُ
And the leading stars of al-Suʿūd came into view, as though they were
And Hadi As-Su'ud posed like a company of riders
a caravan that returned by night to Tabaʿ’s valley, bearing provisions.
Halting in the valley of Labeef tired.
وَبَداand appeared سُهَيلٌSuhayl كالشِهابِlike a firebrand مُشَبِّهٌresembling
وَبَدا سُهَيلٌ كالشِهابِ مُشَبِّهٌ
راعٍa shepherd عَلىon شَرَفِthe high ground of العَرينَةِal-ʿArīnah سائِرُwalking
راعٍ عَلى شَرَفِ العَرينَةِ سائِرُ
And Suhayl appeared like a firebrand, resembling
And Suhail rose like a flame, resembling
a shepherd walking on the high ground of al-ʿArīnah.
A watchman on the peak of a fortress.
وَبَدَتand appeared نُجومٌstars بَينَamid ذاكَthat كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَبَدَت نُجومٌ بَينَ ذاكَ كَأَنَّها
دُرٌّpearls تَقَطَّعَhad snapped سِلكُهُtheir string مُتَناثِرُscattered
دُرٌّ تَقَطَّعَ سِلكُهُ مُتَناثِرُ
And stars appeared amid all that, as though they were
And stars appeared amidst all this as though they
scattered pearls whose string had snapped.
Were pearls scattered from a necklace shattered.