إذاwhen أمستbecame at evening الآفاقthe horizons حمراًred جنوبهاtheir flanks
إذا أمست الآفاق حمراً جنوبها
لشيبانfor Shayban أوor ملحانMilhan واليومand the day اشيبgray-haired
لشيبان أو ملحان واليوم اشيب
When at evening the horizons turned crimson along their flanks,
When the horizons grew red along their flanks at evening,
in winter’s Shaybān or Milḥān, while the day itself was hoary,
In Shayban or Milhan, with the day gray-haired,
ووحوحand groaned from cold فيin حضنthe bosom of الفتاةthe maiden ضجيعهاher bedfellow
ووحوح في حضن الفتاة ضجيعها
ولمand did not يكbe; exist فيin النكدthe scant-milking she-camels المقاليتthose whose calves do not survive مشخبmilk to be drawn
ولم يك في النكد المقاليت مشخب
in the maiden’s embrace her bedmate rasped, “waḥ, waḥ,”
And in the maiden's bosom her bedfellow groaned with cold,
and among the scant-yielding females whose young did not survive, there was not one that streamed milk.
And the scant-milking, calf-bereft camels had no milk to give.
