أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ فِتيانَ فَهمٍ

أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ فِتيانَ فَهمٍ

بِما لاقَيتُ عِندَ رَحى بِطانِ

بِما لاقَيتُ عِندَ رَحى بِطانِ

Ah, who will tell the young men of Fahm

O you who can inform the perceptive youths,

of what I encountered at Raha Bitan—

Of what I met at the mill of the qirān,

بِأَنّي قَد لَقيتُ الغولَ تَهوي

بِأَنّي قَد لَقيتُ الغولَ تَهوي

بِسَهبٍ كَالصَحيفَةِ صَحصَحانِ

بِسَهبٍ كَالصَحيفَةِ صَحصَحانِ

that I met the ghoul as she swooped

That I met a ghoul rushing

across a bare, level plain, like a page.

With a gazed like parchment being shaken.

فَقُلتُ لَها كِلانا نِضوُ أَينٍ

فَقُلتُ لَها كِلانا نِضوُ أَينٍ

أَخو سَفَرٍ فَخَلّي لي مَكاني

أَخو سَفَرٍ فَخَلّي لي مَكاني

So I said to her, 'We are both worn thin by fatigue,

So I said to her, both of us dismount;

wayfarers; so leave me my place.'

A traveler's brother, so make room for me.

فَشَدَّت شَدَّةً نَحوي فَأَهوى

فَشَدَّت شَدَّةً نَحوي فَأَهوى

لَها كَفّي بِمَصقولٍ يَماني

لَها كَفّي بِمَصقولٍ يَماني

Then she charged fiercely toward me, and down swung

She came at me aggressively, so I struck

my hand at her with a polished Yemeni blade.

At her with my Yemeni sword, polished and keen.

فَأَضرِبُها بِلا دَهَشٍ فَخَرَّت

فَأَضرِبُها بِلا دَهَشٍ فَخَرَّت

صَريعاً لِليَدَينِ وَلِلجِرانِ

صَريعاً لِليَدَينِ وَلِلجِرانِ

So I struck her without panic, and she fell

I struck her without hesitation, and she fell

prostrate on her hands and the underside of her neck.

Vanquished by the blows of my hands and elbows.

فَقالَت عُد فَقُلتُ لَها رُوَيداً

فَقالَت عُد فَقُلتُ لَها رُوَيداً

مَكانَكِ إِنَّني ثَبتُ الجَنانِ

مَكانَكِ إِنَّني ثَبتُ الجَنانِ

Then she said, 'Strike again!' I told her, 'Not so fast;

She said, “Let me go,” and I said, “Stay still,

stay where you are; I am steadfast of heart.'

This is your place, for I am resolute.”

فَلَم أَنفَكُّ مُتَّكِئً لَدَيها

فَلَم أَنفَكُّ مُتَّكِئً لَدَيها

لِأَنظُرَ مُصبِحاً ماذا أَتاني

لِأَنظُرَ مُصبِحاً ماذا أَتاني

So I remained reclining beside her,

I did not stop leaning over her

to see at dawn what had come to me.

To see what the morning would bring me,

إِذا عَينانِ في رَأسٍ قَبيحٍ

إِذا عَينانِ في رَأسٍ قَبيحٍ

كَرَأسِ الهِرِّ مَشقوقِ اللِسانِ

كَرَأسِ الهِرِّ مَشقوقِ اللِسانِ

Behold, two eyes in an ugly head,

When two eyes in an ugly head appeared,

like a cat's head, with a split tongue,

Like the head of a cat with split tongue.

وَساقا مُخدَجٍ وَشَواةُ كَلبٍ

وَساقا مُخدَجٍ وَشَواةُ كَلبٍ

وَثَوبٌ مِن عَباءٍ أَو شَنانِ

وَثَوبٌ مِن عَباءٍ أَو شَنانِ

and the legs of a premature newborn, and a dog's scalp,

And legs with elephantiasis and dog paws,

and a garment of coarse wool or worn-out waterskins.

Wearing a cloak or rough garment.