1. وضاحكِ الرَّوضِ مُحلَّى المَنزِل

    سَبْطِ هُبوبِ الرِّيحِ جَعْدِ المَنهلِ

    And a smiling meadow, its grounds adorned,

    with a smooth-blowing breeze and a rippling watering place,

  2. مُوشّحٍ بالنَّورِ أو مُكَلَّل

    مفروجةٍ حُلَّتُه عَن جَدولِ

    sashed with blossoms or crowned with them,

    its robe parted to reveal a stream,

  3. أقبلَ قد غَصَّ بمدِّ مُقبِل

    والطيرُ تنقضُّ عليه من عَلِ

    flowing on, choked with an advancing swell,

    while birds swoop down upon it from on high,

  4. تَساقُطَ الوَشْيِ على المُصَندلِ

    صَبَّحْتُه والصُّبحُ سامي الجحفلِ

    like brocade falling upon sandalwood-dyed cloth.

    I visited it at dawn, as morning's host rose high,

  5. كأنَّما الشَّرقُ به في حَيْهَلِ

    بِفتيةٍ مثلِ النُّجومِ المُثَّلِ

    as though the east were bidding it welcome,

    with young men like stars standing forth,

  6. كلُّ مُعَمٍّ في السَّماحِ مُخْوَلِ

    يهتزُّ للمَجدِ اهتزازَ المُنصُلِ

    each inheriting generosity from paternal and maternal kin,

    thrilling to glory as a sword-blade quivers,

  7. كأنّه رَيحانةٌ لم تَذبُلِ

    وشُقَقٌ تَروقُ عينَ المُجتلي

    as though he were a basil sprig that had not withered.

    And strips that delight the beholder's eye,

  8. منسوبةٌ إلى الرِّماحِ الذُّبَّلِ

    قد صُبِغَت صِبْغَ الحريقِ المُشَعلِ

    kin to slender lances,

    dyed the hue of a blazing fire;

  9. وصائباتٌ لم تَحِد عن مَقتَلِ

    تقابلُ الخَطْبَ خِقافَ المَحفِلِ

    and unerring missiles that never missed a vital spot,

    facing danger, light in the gathering [reading uncertain],

  10. كأنَّها مخروطةٌ من جَندَلِ

    إن يُقنَصِ الطَّيرُ بها لا يَعدِلِ

    as though lathe-turned from hard stone.

    If birds are hunted with them, none can swerve away,

  11. أو تُدعَ منها الصَّاعداتُ تَنزِلِ

    فهنّ من هاوٍ ومِن مُجَدَّلِ

    or if the soaring ones among them are called, they descend.

    So some are falling, and some are struck down,

  12. ومن خَضِيبٍ بدمٍ مُرَمَّلِ

    مُدثَّرِ الحُلَّةِ أو مُهَلَّلِ

    and some are dyed and besmeared with blood,

    wrapped in robes or thinly clad,

  13. في يَلمقٍ مُزَرَّرٍ لم يُحلَلِ

    بينَ الخُزامَى الغَضِّ وَالقَرَنْفُلِ

    in a buttoned coat never unfastened,

    among fresh lavender and carnations,

  14. وبين أكوابِ الرَّحيقِ السَّلسَلِ

    وفتيةٍ عن الخَنا بمَعزِلِ

    and among cups of smooth-flowing wine,

    and young men far removed from indecency,

  15. عليهِمُ سِيما الطِّرازِ الأوَّلِ

    bearing the stamp of the first rank.