1. Many a spring the water buckets at dawn have come round,
With the sound of the drivers' cries at early morning drawing water,

2. Coming down toward the star from before it
From the water-channel and Aquarius the water pourer.

3. Don't you know when the fateful time comes
And the maiden's veil is lifted from her face,

4. She goes along jangling anklets and behind her the stallion,
With a whistling sound to its fireside, the branding iron glowing?

5. A Samian cup gives out the secrets of its fire,
And the howling of the quarter's dogs goes on in it.

6. When the west horizon at evening seems as though
It were Myrobalan purple, and the wagons have gotten through,

7. You see my guest if he sees them
Drawing together in confusion over their wine-skins—it bewilders them—

8. Taking care because of my sword if they see it
With me, standing erect until their herd is hobbled;

9. And she has known that for the son of Galib
The parts of her abode are a gift if he does not drive off their cattle;

10. We split open because of the sword the bellies of their big ones,
And when the cattle brutes bellowed I ripped them to tatters;

11. And I warned the short-haired one who shrieks over them,
Beyond us from Syria their mansions and castles;

12. Toward me —and I left no living thing on earth,
Nor one that howls except I veiled its dens;

13. Dogs that barked at the lion from every side,
Then their howling turned to whimpering after their barking.

14. He howled in earnest at the sons of Buḥair while around us
Were our assailants, and the banners of the curtain were woven.

15. And I warned the dog of the sons of Ḥumaidhah, for he had howled
At me, and the fires of war boiled their pots;

16. In place of the nose she wanted, if it would have helped her,
Ḥaidhah or faster for her the months.