آذن اليوم جيرتي بارتحال — Al Nabigha_Al Shaibani

آذَنَ اليَومَ جيرَتي بِاِرتِحال

وَبَينٍ مُوَدَّعٍ وَاِحتِمالِ

Today my neighbors announced their departure,

a farewell parting and a moving away.

وَاِنتَضَوا أَينُقَ النَجائِبِ صعراً

أَخَذوها بِالسَيرِ في الإِرقالِ

They brought forth choice she-camels, their necks proudly turned,

urging them along the road at a swift trot.

وَعَلَوا كُلَّ عَيهَمٍ دَوسَرِيٍّ

أَرحَبِيٍّ يَبُذُّ وُسعَ الجِمالِ

They mounted every towering, sturdy camel,

of Arhab stock, outstripping the utmost pace of camels.

فَكَأَنَّ الرِياضَ أَو زُخرُفَ المِج

دَلِ مِنها عَلى قُطوعِ الرِحالِ

As though meadows, or a palace's ornamentation,

lay upon the drapings of their saddles.

عَدَلوا بَينَها وَبَينَ عِتاقٍ

مُقرَباتٍ تُصانُ تَحتَ الجِلالِ

They matched them with thoroughbred horses,

carefully kept, protected beneath their coverings.

فَهيَ قُبٌّ كَأَنَّهُنَّ ضِراءٌ

كَقِداحِ المُفيضِ أَو كَالمَغالي

Lean-bellied, they resemble hunting hounds,

the lot-caster's arrows, or long-range shafts.

خَرَجوا أَن رَأوا مَخِيلَةَ غَيثٍ

مِن قُصورٍ إِلى رِياضِ أُثالِ

They went out because they saw a cloud promising rain,

from palaces to the meadows of Uthal.

يَومَ بانوا بِكُلِّ هَيفاءَ بِكرٍ

وَرَداحٍ وَطِفلَةٍ كَالغَزالِ

The day they departed with every slender-waisted maiden,

and full-hipped beauty, and tender girl like a gazelle.

بَكَراتٌ أُدمٌ أَصَبنَ رَبيعاً

أَو ظِباءٌ أَو رَبرَبٌ في رِمالِ

Pale young she-camels that have found spring pasture,

or gazelles, or a herd of wild cattle amid sands.

فَهيَ بِيضٌ حُورٌ يُبَسِّمنَ عَن غرْ

رٍ وَأَنيابُهُنَّ شَوكُ السِيّالِ

Fair and dark-eyed, they smile to reveal gleaming teeth,

and their canine teeth are thorns of the sayyal acacia.

جاعِلاتٌ قُطفاً مِنَ الخِزِّ وَالبا

غِزِ حَولَ الظِباءِ فَوقَ البِغالِ

They set coverlets of silk and baghiz cloth

around the gazelles upon the mules.

جازِئاتٌ جَمَعنَ حُسناً وَطيباً

وَقَواماً مِثلَ القَنا في اِعتِدالِ

Sated without drinking, they unite beauty and fragrance,

and figures straight as spear-shafts.

غَصَّ مِنها بَعدَ الدَماليجِ سورٌ

وَالخَلاخيلُ وَالنُحورُ حَوالِ

Their bracelets fit tightly below their armlets,

as do their anklets; their necks are adorned.

فَكَأَنَّ الحُلَيَّ صِيغَت حَديثاً

يَتَأَلَّقنَ أَو جَلاهُنَّ جالِ

As though their ornaments had just been fashioned,

they gleam, or a polisher has polished them.

فَوقَ صُفرٍ تَدَمَّجَت في عَبيرٍ

مُخطِفاتِ البُطونِ مِيثَ النَوالي

Upon golden-hued bodies enveloped in perfume,

slender-waisted and soft-limbed.

لُثنَ خُمراً عَلى عَناقيدِ كَرمٍ

يانِعاتٍ أُتمِمنَ في إِكمالِ

They wound veils over clusters of grapes,

ripe, brought to their full perfection.

فَهيَ تُبدي طَوراً وَتُخفي وُجوهاً

كُلُّ وَجهٍ أَغَرُّ كَالتِمثالِ

Now they reveal, now conceal their faces,

each face radiant as an image.

كَالدُمى حُسنُهُنَّ أَربى عَلى الحُس

نِ وَيُضعِفنَ في تُقىً وَجَمالِ

Like figurines, their beauty surpasses beauty,

and they abound in piety and loveliness.

لا بِساتٌ غَضَّ الشَبابِ جَديداً

مُثقِلاتٌ تَنوءُ بِالأَكفالِ

Clad in fresh, tender youth,

heavy-hipped, laboring beneath their buttocks' weight.

جاعِلاتٌ مِن الفِرِندِ دُروعاً

وَالجَلابيبُ مِن طَعامِ الشَمالِ

They wear tunics of brocade,

and cloaks of yarn fed by the left hand.

يَتَأَزَّرنَ بِالمُروطِ مِن الخِزْ

زِ وَيَركُلنَها بِسوقٍ خِدالِ

They gird themselves in silk wraps,

and kick them with full, rounded legs.

فَإِذا ما مَشَينَ مالَت غُصونٌ

مِلنَ نَحوَ اليَمينِ بَعدَ الشِمالِ

When they walk, boughs sway,

bending toward the right after the left.

يَتَقَتَّلنَ لِلحَليمِ مِنَ القَو

مِ فَيَسبِينَهُ بِحُسنِ الدَلالِ

They feign languor for the forbearing man among the people,

and captivate him with their lovely coquetry.

وَإِذا ما رَمَينَهُ جانِبِيّاً

أَو عَشيراً أَقصَدنَهُ بِالنِبالِ

When they shoot at him, whether a stranger

or an intimate, they strike him dead with arrows.

وَلَقَد قُلتُ يَومَ بانوا بِصَرمٍ

كَيفَ وَصلي مِن لا يُجِدُّ وِصالي

I said, the day they departed with ties severed:

How can I befriend one who does not earnestly seek my friendship?

وَإِذا ما اِنطَوى أَخٌ لِيَ دوني

فَجَديرٌ إِن صَدَّ أَن لا أُبالي

When a brother of mine withdraws from me,

if he turns away, it is fitting that I should not care.

كُلُّ ما اِختَصَّني بِهِ اللَهُ رَبّي

لَيسَ مِن قُوَّتي وَلا بِاِحتِيالي

All that God, my Lord, has singled me out to receive

comes neither from my strength nor my contriving.

لَو أُطيعُ الشَمُوعَ أَو تَعتَليني

زَلَّ حِلمي وَلا مَني عُذّالي

Were I to obey the wayward woman, or let her overcome me,

my forbearance would falter, and my reprovers would blame me.

وَإِذا ما ذَكَرتُ صَرفَ المَنايا

كَاِدِّكارِ الحَزينِ في الأَطلالِ

And when I recall the ravages of death,

like a sorrowful man's remembrance among the ruins,

كُلُّ عَيشٍ وَلَذَّةٍ وَنَعيمٍ

وَحَياةٍ تودي كَفيءِ الظِلالِ

every livelihood, pleasure, and delight,

and life itself, vanishes like retreating shade.

كَفَّني الحِلمُ وَالمَشِيبُ وَعَقلي

وَنُهى اللَهِ عَن سَبيلِ الضَلالِ

Forbearance, gray hair, and my reason restrain me,

and God's prohibitions, from the path of error.

وَأَرى الفَقرَ وَالغِنى بِيَدِ اللَ

هِ وَحَتفَ النُفوسِ في الآجالِ

I see poverty and wealth in the hand of God,

and the death of souls within their appointed terms.

لَيسَ ماءٌ يُروى بِهِ مُعتَفوهُ

واتِنٌ لا يَغورُ كَالأَوشالِ

No water from which its seekers drink their fill

endures without sinking away, like scant trickles.

قَد يَغيضُ الفَتى كَما يَنقُصُ البَد

رُ وَكُلٌّ يَصيرُ كَالمُستَحالِ

A man may dwindle as the full moon wanes,

and each becomes a thing transformed.

فَمُحاقٌ هذا وَهذا كَبيرٌ

بَعدَما كانَ ناشِئاً كَالهِلالِ

So this one is darkened, and that one grown old,

after once being young, like the crescent.

لَيسَ يَغني عَنهُ السَنيحُ وَلا البُر

خُ وَلا مُشفِقٌ زِمامَ قِبالِ

Neither an auspicious omen nor an adverse one can avail him,

nor a compassionate friend, even by a sandal-thong.

فَإِذا صارَ كَالبَلِيَّةِ قَحماً

هُوَ مَرُّ الأَيّامِ بَعدَ اللَيالي

When he becomes decrepit, like a camel left to die,

such is the passing of days after nights,

وَكَسَتهُ السِنونَ شَيباً وَضَعفاً

وَطَوَت خَطوَهُ بِقَيدٍ دِخالِ

and the years clothe him in gray hair and weakness,

and bind his stride with a close-fitting fetter,

عادَ كَالضَبِّ في سِنينَ مُحولٍ

عادَ في جُحرِهِ حَليفَ هُزالِ

he becomes like a lizard in drought-stricken years,

back in its hole, allied to emaciation.

لَيسَ حَيٌّ يَبقى وَإِن بَلَغَ الكَب

رَةَ إِلّا مَصِيرُهُ لِزَوالِ

No living thing remains, even if it reaches old age,

without its fate being to pass away.

كُلُّ ثاوٍ يَثوي لِحينَ المَنايا

كَجَزورٍ حَبَستَها بِعِقالِ

Every dweller stays until death's appointed hour,

like a slaughter-camel you have tethered.

إِن تَمُت أَنفُسُ الأَنامِ فَإِنَّ ال

لَهَ يَبق وَصالِحَ الأَعمالِ

If the souls of mankind die, then God

remains, and righteous deeds.

كُلُّ ساعٍ سَعى لِيُدرِكَ شَيئاً

سَوفَ يَأتي بِسَعيِهِ ذا الجَلالِ

Every striver who strives to attain something

will bring his striving before the Lord of Majesty.

فَهُمُ بَينَ فائِزٍ نالَ خَيراً

وَشَقِيٍّ أَصابَهُ بِنَكالِ

They are either victors who gained good,

or wretched ones whom He afflicted with punishment.

فَوُلاةُ الحَرامِ مَن يَعمَلُ السو

ءَ عَدُوٌّ حَربٌ لِأَهلِ الحَلالِ

The adherents of the forbidden, whoever does evil,

are foes at war with the people of the lawful.

إِنَّ مَن يَركَبُ الفَواحِشَ سِرّاً

حينَ يَخلو بِسوءَةٍ غَيرُ خالِ

Whoever commits abominations secretly,

when alone with a vile deed, is not alone.

كَيفَ يَخلو وَعِندَهُ كاتِباهُ

شاهِدَيهِ وَربَهُ ذو المِحالِ

How can he be alone when beside him are his two scribes,

his two witnesses, and his Lord, mighty in power?

فَاِتَّقِ اللَهَ ما اِستَطَعتَ وَأَحسِن

إِنَّ تَقوى الإِلهِ خَيرُ الخِلالِ

Fear God as much as you can, and do good:

reverence for God is the best of qualities.

وَإِذا كُنتَ ذا أَناهٍ وَحِلمٍ

لَم تَطِر عِندَ طَيرَةِ الجُهّالِ

When you possess deliberation and forbearance,

you do not fly into a rage when fools do.

وَإِذا ما أَذَلتَ عِرضَكَ أَودى

وَإِذا صِينَ كانَ غَيرَ مُذالِ

If you expose your honor to contempt, it perishes;

if it is protected, it remains unprofaned.

ثُمَّ قُل لِلمُريدِ حَوكَ القَوافي

إِنَّ بَعضَ الأَشعارِ مِثلُ الخَبالِ

Then say to whoever wishes to weave rhymes:

some poetry is like madness.

أَثقِفِ الشِعرَ مَرَّتَينِ وَأَطنِب

في صُنوفِ التَشبيبِ وَالأَمثالِ

Polish the verse twice, and dwell at length

on the forms of love preludes and proverbial wisdom.

وَفلاةٍ كَأَنَّها ظَهرُ تُرسٍ

عُودُهُ واحِدٌ قَديمُ المِطالِ

And a wilderness, like the back of a shield,

its wood one piece, long worked by hammering,

حَومَةٍ سَربَخٍ يَحارُ بِها الرَك

بُ تَنوفٍ كَثيرَةِ الأَهوالِ

a vast tract where riders lose their way,

a desolate expanse filled with terrors,

جُبتُ مَجهولَها وَأَرضٍ بِها الجِ

ن وَعِقدَ الكَثيبِ ذي الأَميالِ

I crossed its unknown reaches, and a land where jinn dwell,

and the ridges of sloping dunes,

وَعَدابٍ مِن رَملَةٍ وَدَهاسٍ

وَجِبالٍ قَطَعتُ بَعدَ جِبالِ

and skirts of sand and soft sandy plains,

and mountains I crossed after mountains,

وَسُهوبٍ وَكُلُّ أَبطَحَ لاخٍ

ثُمَّ آلٍ قَد جُبتُ مِن بَعدِ آلِ

and broad plains, and every tangled, stony riverbed,

then mirage after mirage I traversed,

بِعُقامٍ أُجدٍ تَفَلَّجُ بِالسَرا

كِبِ عَنسٍ جُلالَةٍ شملالِ

on a powerful, firmly built camel, striding wide along roads,

a mature she-camel, massive and swift,

عَيسَجورٍ كَأَنَّها عِرمِسُ الوا

دي أَمونٍ تَزيفُ كَالمُختالِ

huge, like a boulder in a valley,

reliable, strutting like a swaggerer.

فَإِذا هِجتُها وَخافَت قَطيعاً

خَلَطَت مَشيَها بِعَدوٍ نِقالِ

When I roused her and she feared the whip,

she mixed her walk with a swift, shifting run.

كَذَعورٍ قَرعاءَ لَم تَعلُ بَيضاً

ذاتِ نَأيٍ لَيسَت بِأُمِّ رِئالِ

Like a startled, bare-headed ostrich that has not brooded eggs,

far-ranging, no mother of chicks,

خَدَّ في الأَرضِ مَنسِماها وَزَفَّت

ثُمَّ زَفَّت تَعدو بِزِفٍّ جُفالِ

her two toe-pads furrowed the ground, and she sped,

then sped again, racing in a headlong rush.

فَهيَ تَهفو كَالرِمثِ فَوقَ عَمودَ ي

نِ عَلَتهُ مُسوَدَّةُ الأَسمالِ

She flutters like a raft upon two poles,

topped with blackened rags.

وَهيَ تَسمو بِذي بَلاعِيمَ عُوجٍ

أَصقَعِ الرَأسِ كَالعَمودِ الطِوالِ

She raises a neck with curved throat-passages,

white-crowned, like a tall column.

فَبِها كَالجُنونِ أَو طائِفِ الأَو

لَقِ مِن ذُعرِ هَيقَةٍ مِجفالِ

She has a sort of madness, or a visitation of frenzy,

from the terror of a skittish female ostrich.

أَو كَجَأبٍ مُكَدَّمٍ أَخدَرِيٍّ

حَولَ أُتنٍ لَواقِحٍ وَحِيالِ

Or like a bite-scarred, Akhdari wild ass,

among pregnant and barren she-asses,

يَرتَمي الريحَ مِن سَماحيجَ قُبٍّ

بِنُسالٍ تَطيرُ بَعدَ نُسالِ

hurling himself into the wind from among slender, lean-bellied females,

in darting rushes, one flying after another.

فَرَعاها المَصِيفَ حَتّى إِذا ما

رَكَدَ الخاطِراتُ فَوقَ القِلالِ

He tended them through summer, until

the drifting clouds grew still above the hilltops.

حَثَّها قارِحٌ فَجالَت جَميعاً

خَشيَةً مِن مُكَدَّمٍ جَوّالِ

A full-grown stallion urged them, and they all wheeled,

in fear of a roaming, bite-scarred male.

فَهوَ مِنها وَهُنَّ قَودٌ سِراعٌ

كَرَقيبِ المُفيضِ عِندَ الخِصالِ

He, among those long-necked, swift females,

is like the lot-caster's overseer at the drawing.

سَحرُهُ دائِمٌ يُرَجِّعُ يَحدو

ها مُصِرٌّ مُزايِلٌ لِلفِحالِ

His breath is constant; he repeats his bray, urging

them on, persistent, keeping other stallions away.

فَإِذا اِستافَ عُوَّذاً قَد أَقَصَّت

ضَرَحَتهُ تَشِيعُ بِالأَبوالِ

When he sniffs mothers whose pregnancy is showing,

they kick him away, spattering urine.

وَكَأَنَّ اليَراعَ بَينَ حَوامٍ

حينَ تَعلو مَروٌ وَسُرجُ ذُبالِ

As though fireflies among thirsty, circling creatures,

when they rise, were flints and lamps with wicks.

وَنَحاها لِلوِردِ ذاتُ نُفوسٍ

حائِماتٍ إِلى الوُرودِ نِهالِ

He led them to water, their souls

circling thirstily toward the watering place.

نَحوَ ماءٍ بِالعِرقِ حَتّى إِذا ما

نَقَعَت أَنفُساً بِعَذبٍ زُلالِ

Toward water by the sand ridge, until

they quenched their thirst with sweet, clear water.

عَرَفَ المَوتَ فَاِستَغاثَ بِأَفنٍ

ذي نَجاءٍ عَطِّ الحَنيفِ البالي

He sensed death and sought aid from a weak-witted one,

swift in escape, who tore his worn-out sandal.

فَهوَ يُهوي كَأَنَّهُ حينَ وَلّى

حَجَرُ المَنجَنيقِ أَو سَهمُ غالِ

He plunges onward, as though, when he turned away,

he were a catapult's stone or a far-flung arrow.

ذاكَ شَبَّهتُهُ وَصاحِبَةَ الزَفْ

ف قُلوصي بَعدَ الوَجا وَالكَلالِ

That I likened to the mistress of swift running,

my young she-camel, after foot-soreness and weariness.

تَنتَوي مِن يَزيدَ فَضلَ يَدَيهِ

أَريَحِيّاً فَرعاً سَمينَ الفَعالِ

She aims for the bounty of Yazid's hands,

open-handed, nobly sprung, rich in deeds,

حَكَمِيّاً بَينَ الأَعاصي وَحَربٍ

أَبطَحِيَّ الأَعمامِ وَالأَخوالِ

of al-Hakam's line, between the A'asi and Harb,

his paternal and maternal uncles Abtahi.

أُمُّهُ مَلكَةٌ نَمَتها مُلوكٌ

وَهيَ أَهلُ الإِكرامِ وَالإِجلالِ

His mother is a queen descended from kings,

worthy of honor and reverence.

أُمُّها بِنتُ عامِرِ بنِ كُرَيزٍ

وَأَبوها الهُمامُ يَومَ الفِضالِ

Her mother is the daughter of 'Amir ibn Kurayz,

and her father the magnanimous one on the day of giving.

تِلكَ أُمٌّ كَسَت يَزيدَ بَهاءً

وَجَمالاً يَبُذُّ كُلَّ جَمالِ

That is a mother who clothed Yazid in splendor,

and beauty that surpasses every beauty.

وَأَبوهُ عَبدُ المَليكِ نَماهُ

زادَ طولاً عَلى المُلوكِ الطِوالِ

His father, 'Abd al-Malik, begot him,

surpassing in stature the tallest kings.

فَهُوَ مَلكٌ نَمَتهُ أَيضاً مُلوكٌ

خَيرُ مِن يَحتَذي رِقاقَ النِعالِ

He is a king descended also from kings,

the best of those who wear fine sandals.

حالَفَ المَجدَ عَبشَمِيّاً إِماماً

حَلَّ داراً بِها تَكونُ المَعالي

He allied himself with glory, an 'Abshami leader,

dwelling in a house where lofty honors reside,

أَريَحِيّاً فَرعاً وَمَعقِلَ عِزٍّ

قَصُرَت دونَهُ طِوالُ الجِبالِ

open-handed, nobly sprung, a stronghold of might,

beneath which the tallest mountains fall short.

أُعطي الحِلمَ وَالعَفافَ مَع الجو

دِ وَرَأياً يَفوقُ رَأيَ الرِجالِ

He was given forbearance and chastity, together with generosity,

and judgment surpassing other men's judgment.

وَحَباهُ المَليكُ تَقوىً وَبِرّاً

وَهوَ مِن سوسِ ناسِكٍ وَصّالِ

The Sovereign bestowed piety and goodness upon him,

and he has the nature of a devout keeper of ties.

يَقطَعُ اللَيلَ آهَةً وَاِنتِحاباً

وَاِبتِهالاً لِلَّهِ أَيَّ اِبتِهالِ

He passes the night in sighing and sobbing,

and supplication to God—what supplication!

راعَهُ ضَيغَمٌ مِن الأُسدِ وَردٌ

جا بِلَيلٍ يَهيسُ في أَدعالِ

A tawny lion, one of the great lions, alarmed him,

coming by night, prowling through thickets.

تارَةً راكِعاً وَطوراً سُجوداً

ذا دُموعٍ تَنهَلُّ أَيَّ اِنهِلالِ

Now bowing, now prostrate,

with tears pouring down—what a torrent!

وَلَه نَحبَةٌ إِذا قامَ يَتلو

سُوَراً بَعدَ سورَةِ الأَنفالِ

He has a sob when he stands reciting

chapters after the chapter al-Anfal.

عادِلٌ مُقسِطٌ وَميزانُ حَقٍّ

لَم يَحِف في قَضائِهِ لِلمَوالي

Just, equitable, a true balance,

he is not unjust in his rulings for the clients.

موفِيّاً بِالعُهودِ مِن خَشيَةِ اللَ

هِ وَمَن يَعفُهُ يَكُن غَيرَ قالِ

Fulfilling pledges out of fear of God,

and whoever seeks his bounty will not be resentful.

مُحسِنٌ مُجمَلٌ تَقِيٌّ قَوِيٌّ

وَهُوَ أَهلُ الإِحسانِ وَالإِجمالِ

Beneficent, gracious, pious, strong,

worthy of beneficence and gracious conduct.

لَيسَ بِالواهِنِ الضَعيفِ وَلا القَح

مِ وَلا مُودَنٍ وَلا تِنبالِ

Not frail and weak, nor decrepit,

nor stunted, nor short and squat.

تَمَّ مِنهُ قَوامُهُ وَاِعتِدالُ ال

خَلقِ وَالرَأيُ بِالأُمورِ الثِقالِ

His stature and the balance of his form are complete,

and his judgment in weighty affairs.

وَهُوَ مَن يَعفُهُ يُنِخ بِكَريمٍ

يَلقَ جوداً مِن ماجِدٍ مِفضالِ

Whoever seeks his bounty lodges with a noble man,

and finds generosity from an illustrious, lavish giver.

مِثلَ جودِ الفُراتِ في قُبُلِ الصَي

فِ تَرامى تَيّارُهُ بِالجُفالِ

Like the bounty of the Euphrates at the onset of summer,

its current surging with a sweeping flood.

فَهوَ مَغلولِبٌ وَقَد جَلَّلَ العِب

رَينِ ماءً يُفيضُهُ غَيرَ آلِ

It swells turbulently, covering both banks

with water it pours out without stint.

فَإِذا ماسَما تَلاطَمَ بِالمَو

جِ جَوادٌ كَالجامِحِ المُستَشالِ

When it rises, its waves clash,

a charger like a bolting horse rearing high.

فَهوَ جَونُ السَراةِ صَعبٌ شَموسٌ

سارَ مِنهُ تَيّارُ مَوجٍ عُضالِ

Dark-backed, unruly, rebellious,

a current of mighty waves rushes from it.

كَبَّ مِن صَعنَباءَ نَخلاً وَدوراً

وَاِرتَمى بِالسَفينِ وَالمَوجُ عالِ

It brings down palms and houses of Sa'naba',

and hurls the ships while its waves are high.

وَتَسامَت مِنهُ أَواذِيُّ غُلبٌ

كَفِحالٍ تَسمو لِغُلبِ فِحالِ

Great billows rise from it,

like stallions rearing against massive stallions.

غَيرَ أَنَّ الفُراتَ يَنضُبُ مِنهُ

وَيَزيدٌ يَزدادُ جُودَ نَوالِ

Yet the Euphrates dwindles,

while Yazid grows ever more generous in giving.

وَهوَ إِن يَعفُهُ فِئامٌ شُعوبٌ

يَبتَدِ المُعتَفينَ قَبلَ السُؤالِ

If multitudes of peoples seek his bounty,

he gives to the seekers before they ask.

وَيَذُد عَنهُمُ الخَلالَةَ مِنهُ

بِسِجالٍ تَغدو أَمامَ سِجالِ

He drives want from them with his giving,

with brimming buckets arriving before more buckets.

فَإِذا أُبرِزَت جِفانٌ مِنَ الشِي

زى وَفيها سَديفُ فَوقَ المَحالِ

When bowls of shiza wood are brought forth,

holding hump-fat above the vertebrae,

قَتَلَ الجوعَ وَالهُزالَ فَبادا

حينَ هَرَّ العُفاةُ شَحمَ المَتالي

he slays hunger and wasting, and both perish,

when the seekers gnaw the fat of nursing camels.

كَأَنَّ التَرعيبَ فيها عَذارى

خالِصاتُ الأَلوانِ إِلفُ الحِجالِ

The thick-cut pieces within are like maidens,

pure in complexion, accustomed to curtained chambers.