وبِجِذعِ طَرفاءٍ أَناطَ مُكَثِّفاً

وبِجِذعِ طَرفاءٍ أَناطَ مُكَثِّفاً

قَصَباً وَأَوراقاً عَلَيها تُجمَعُ

قَصَباً وَأَوراقاً عَلَيها تُجمَعُ

And on a tamarisk trunk he hung a dense cluster

And on a tamarisk trunk he hung a dense bunch

of reeds and leaves gathered upon it—

Of reeds and leaves gathered upon it,

سِمةً بَغَى في جُنحِ ذَياكَ الدُّجى

سِمةً بَغَى في جُنحِ ذَياكَ الدُّجى

لَهُما فلا تَخفَى بِهِ وَتُضَيَّعُ

لَهُما فلا تَخفَى بِهِ وَتُضَيَّعُ

a marker he sought in the depths of that dark night

Seeking a marker beneath that darkness's shroud

for them both, lest it be hidden and lost.

For them both, lest it be hidden there and lost.

وَتَقَدَّما بينَ القَواضِبِ والدِّما

وَتَقَدَّما بينَ القَواضِبِ والدِّما

فإِذا الثَّراقَةُ بالهُجُوعِ تَمَتَّعُوا

فإِذا الثَّراقَةُ بالهُجُوعِ تَمَتَّعُوا

Then onward they went among the cutting blades and blood,

And the two advanced amid keen swords and blood;

and behold—the Thracians lay enjoying slumber;

And behold, the Thracians were enjoying sleep.

وَإِزاءَهُم فَوقَ الحَضِيضِ سِلاحُهُم

وَإِزاءَهُم فَوقَ الحَضِيضِ سِلاحُهُم

سَطراً ثَلاثَةَ أَسطُرٍ قد جَمَّعُوا

سَطراً ثَلاثَةَ أَسطُرٍ قد جَمَّعُوا

before them, upon the ground, lay their weapons,

And before them, upon the low ground, lay their weapons;

arrayed in ranks—three rows they had formed.

They had gathered them in rows—three rows.

وإِزاءَ كُلِّ فَتًى جَواداهُ وَفي

وإِزاءَ كُلِّ فَتًى جَواداهُ وَفي

قلبِ الكُمَاةِ مَلِيكُهُم مُتَمَنِّعُ

قلبِ الكُمَاةِ مَلِيكُهُم مُتَمَنِّعُ

Beside each warrior stood his pair of steeds, while

And beside each young man were his two steeds, and in

amid the fighters their king lay secure.

The warriors' midst their king lay well protected.

وَوَراءَ مَركَبَةٍ تَلِيهِ أُوثِقَت

وَوَراءَ مَركَبَةٍ تَلِيهِ أُوثِقَت

أَفراسُهُ الأَنجابُ لا تَتَفَزَّعُ

أَفراسُهُ الأَنجابُ لا تَتَفَزَّعُ

And behind a chariot that followed him were tethered

And behind a chariot beside him were tethered

his noble horses, taking no fright.

His noble-bred horses, showing no alarm.

فَهُناكَ أُوذِسُ كانَ أَوَّلَ باصِرٍ

فَهُناكَ أُوذِسُ كانَ أَوَّلَ باصِرٍ

فإِلى ذِيُومِيذٍ أَشارَ يُشَجِّعُ

فإِلى ذِيُومِيذٍ أَشارَ يُشَجِّعُ

There Odysseus was the first to spy him,

And there Odysseus was the first to see;

then gestured to Diomedes, urging him on.

So he gestured to Diomedes, urging him on.