وَسُفعٍand dusky clouds كَأَكبادlike the livers of العِداthe foes أَوor كَأَنَّهاas though they were
وَسُفعٍ كَأَكباد العِدا أَو كَأَنَّها
كَتائِبُbattalions of زَنجٍZanj كُلُّهُمall of them فَوقَatop أَدهمِa black steed
كَتائِبُ زَنجٍ كُلُّهُم فَوقَ أَدهمِ
And dusky clouds, like the livers of foes, or as though they were
battalions of Zanj, each astride a black steed.
كَأَنَّas though سُلوكthe threads of الغَيثِthe rain عِندwhen اتصالِهِits reaching
كَأَنَّ سُلوك الغَيثِ عِند اتصالِهِ
بِأَسفَلَto what lies below مِنfrom أَعلىabove سَدىًwarp threads غَيرnot مُلحمِwoven with weft
بِأَسفَلَ مِن أَعلى سَدىً غَير مُلحمِ
As though the rain’s threads, as it reaches
down from above, were warp without weft.
سُلوكٌthreads كَذوبِlike molten الدرِّpearls تُعنىattend بِفتلهاto twisting them
سُلوكٌ كَذوبِ الدرِّ تُعنى بِفتلها
الرِّياحُthe winds وَلَكنbut فَتلُهاtheir twisting غَيرُnot مُبرَمِfirmly twisted
الرِّياحُ وَلَكن فَتلُها غَيرُ مُبرَمِ
Threads like molten pearls, whose twisting occupies
the winds—yet their twist is not tight.