1. Alas! Your affection has blazed up and separation and farewell have come between us.
She said that he is an old man, so she gave in to him and did not show any reluctance.

2. Either yesterday I regained my patience, and the mask of old age shone upon me.
So I will reconcile with the friend even if he has estranged me, and the enmity between us will disappear like wisps of clouds.

3. And I will preserve in absence the matter of my people, so no blame or loss comes upon me.
The weak will be fortunate through me when misfortune strikes me, while the brave champion will dislike my company.

4. He refuses to blame me, for I am generous, and my stance is to embrace.
Among the Bani Bakr bin Sa'd, when their horses are assembled, I am obeyed.

5. Their flanks are protected by armored coats of mail which flash with spears.
I endured their charges, and when the defeated turned to flee, the noble she-camels carried off their plunder.

6. With head held high I used to be their rein, and the peaks provided shade for them.
When the advisers forsook him, the ostriches and wild cows mocked him.

7. His partisans abandoned him, so he was left without a companion like an old shoe without patches.
A blind man whom we had entertained became in the evening of his life carefree.

8. And water of a barren, distant land abandoned by beasts of prey.
I returned while fate had spun out of control, and cares and sorrows pressed heavily upon me.

9. Majestic is the hyena with speckled thighs, barking with laughter, dragging his feet.
He has a she-camel, and when she is in heat, the ostriches mock her.

10. As if the saddle on his back were upon a camel saddle worn from constant use.
A saddle of a meadow overrun with locusts from Al-Ashrat, exported wares.

11. It groans heavily like an ancient well whose buckets are pulled up successively by the women drawing water.
It tosses about bunches of dry brittle wood, with bits and pieces flying off.

12. When they descend easily, it brays at them, and through it they have a window to look out.
It avoided the racetracks of the valley of Qaw and the racecourse, and wandered off.

13. To the nearest pasture, whether Athaal, Ghumaadhah or Nataa’.
So he brought them there when night's darkness gathered and not yet dawn’s first light had broken through.

14. In the morning he raided the Bani Jallaan for spoils - his equipment and travel provisions.
When he did not obtain meat from the wild beasts to satisfy his starving children,

15. He dispatched the zealous young men on a raid, but they were denied success.
So their mother pined in grief and he despaired, with a moan of anguish.