كَمhow many a عُصبةٍband تَرتويdrinks its fill
كَم عُصبةٍ تَرتوي
ممّاof what اِرتَوَتhave drunk their fill آذانُهاits ears
ممّا اِرتَوَت آذانُها
How many a band drinks its fill
How many a group their ears have steeped
Of what its ears have drunk;
In the oceans of song, and then it seemed
فيin أَبحُرِseas الشعرِpoetry غَدتit has become
في أَبحُرِ الشعرِ غَدت
كأنّهاas though it were حيتانُهاtheir whales
كأنّها حيتانُها
In the seas of poetry it has become
As if their ears' very creatures
As though it were their whales,
Out of their mouths strange matter streamed.
تُخرِجُbrings forth مِنfrom أفواهِهاits mouths
تُخرِجُ مِن أفواهِها
ماwhat أدخلَتhave taken in آذانُهاits ears
ما أدخلَت آذانُها
Bringing forth from its mouths
What its ears have taken in.
Partial English translation: 4 of 6 Arabic lines translated.