وَلَقَد أَغدُو بِشَربٍ أُنُفٍ

وَلَقَد أَغدُو بِشَربٍ أُنُفٍ

قَبلَ أَن يَظهَرَ فِي الأَرضِ رَبَش

قَبلَ أَن يَظهَرَ فِي الأَرضِ رَبَش

And indeed I would set out at dawn with drinkers still fresh,

I rise early with a drink that soothes

before any throng appeared upon the earth.

Before the ground shows any dew

مَعَنا زِقُّ إِلى سُمَّهَةٍ

مَعَنا زِقُّ إِلى سُمَّهَةٍ

تَسِقُ الآكَالَ مِن رَطبٍ وَهَش

تَسِقُ الآكَالَ مِن رَطبٍ وَهَش

With us was a wineskin beside a provision basket,

With us, a skin of wine to Sumaymah's place

holding foods, both moist and crisp.

That waters the eaters of ripe and tender dates

فَنَزَلنا بِمَلِيعٍ مُقفِرٍ

فَنَزَلنا بِمَلِيعٍ مُقفِرٍ

مَسَّهُ طَلُّ مِنَ الدَجنِ وَرَش

مَسَّهُ طَلُّ مِنَ الدَجنِ وَرَش

So we alighted in a broad, deserted tract,

So we camped in an empty barren valley

touched by dew from clouded skies and drizzle.

Touched by the trailing robes of night and sprinkling

وَلَديَنا قَينَةٌ مُسمِعَةٌ

وَلَديَنا قَينَةٌ مُسمِعَةٌ

ضَخمَةُ الأَردافِ مِن غَيِر نَفش

ضَخمَةُ الأَردافِ مِن غَيِر نَفش

And with us was a singing girl, making music,

And we have a listening she-camel

ample-hipped, without puffiness.

Huge of hips without emaciation

وَإِذا نَحُن بِإٍجلٍ نافِرٍ

وَإِذا نَحُن بِإٍجلٍ نافِرٍ

وَنَعامٍ خِيطُهُ مِثلُ الحَبَش

وَنَعامٍ خِيطُهُ مِثلُ الحَبَش

And suddenly we came upon a fleeing herd of wild cattle,

And lo we have a bounding doe

and ostriches, their flock like Abyssinians.

And an ostrich whose thread is like the Abyssinians'

فَحَملنا ماهِناً يُنصِفُنا

فَحَملنا ماهِناً يُنصِفُنا

فَوقَ يَعبُوبٍ مٍنَ الخَيلِ أَجَش

فَوقَ يَعبُوبٍ مٍنَ الخَيلِ أَجَش

So we mounted a servant who attended us

So we carried our possessions that befit us

on a swift steed with a deep, hoarse neigh.

Above a herd of noble horses

ثُمَّ قُلنا دُونكَ الصَيَد بِهِ

ثُمَّ قُلنا دُونكَ الصَيَد بِهِ

تُدرِكِ المَحبُوبَ مِنّا وَتعِش

تُدرِكِ المَحبُوبَ مِنّا وَتعِش

Then we said, 'Go after the game on him;

Then we said: below you is the hunt that will allow

you will win what you desire from us, and live.'

The beloved among us to settle and live

فَأَتانا بِشَبُوبٍ ناشِطٍ

فَأَتانا بِشَبُوبٍ ناشِطٍ

وَظَليمٍ مَعَهُ أُمٌّ خُشَش

وَظَليمٍ مَعَهُ أُمٌّ خُشَش

So he brought us a vigorous, full-grown wild bull,

So he brought us a lively fawn

and a cock ostrich, with a hen—Umm Khushash—beside him.

And a mother ostrich with it

فاشتَوَينا مِن غَرِيضٍ طَيَّبٍ

فاشتَوَينا مِن غَرِيضٍ طَيَّبٍ

غَيرِ مَمنُونٍ وَأُبنا بِغَبَش

غَيرِ مَمنُونٍ وَأُبنا بِغَبَش

So we roasted some fresh, delicious meat,

We satisfied ourselves with good hot meat

with no favor held over us, and returned in the half-light.

Unforbidden and cut up with daggers