مُذwhen رأًىsaw النَّهْرُthe river بَرْقَهُits lightning سَلَّunsheathed سَيْفاًa sword
مُذ رأًى النَّهْرُ بَرْقَهُ سَلَّ سَيْفاً
مُرْهَفَkeen الحَدِّthe edge منfrom قِرابِthe sheath of السَّحابِthe clouds
مُرْهَفَ الحَدِّ من قِرابِ السَّحابِ
When the river saw its lightning, it unsheathed a sword,
Since the river saw his lightning flash, it unsheathed a sword
keen-edged, from the sheath of the clouds.
Whose sharp edge was honed on the clouds' quivers.
نَسجتْwove فوقهabove it الرِّياحُthe winds دُرُعاًcoats of mail
نَسجتْ فوقه الرِّياحُ دُرُعاً
سَابغاتٍfull-length قدalready سُمِّرَتْwere riveted بالحَبَابِwith the bubbles
سَابغاتٍ قد سُمِّرَتْ بالحَبَابِ
The winds wove above it coats of mail,
The winds wove above it a coat of mail,
full-length, already riveted with bubbles.
Thickly studded with hailstones.