1. The abodes amid the folds of lofty hills,
Whose peaks I cleared of verdure growing high,

2. Seem written lines of poetry that show
Fair, when deciphered, or mysterious and dark.

3. Your tears flow down like drops of dew or rain
That trickle from the tangled, withered boughs.

4. Though Time has changed the beauty of these vales,
Time's changes constant are and aye renew.

5. Of webs protective 'gainst the winds of eve.
A muttering as of the Bactrian camel's moan

6. Comes from the hill where shrubs were wont to grow.
The wild bull with his muzzle rends and tears

7. Their remnants for his love who went astray.
Naught's left but fragments of the plinth's debris,

8. Mere mounds of earth and crumbling stones decayed,
Landmarks of a folk who welcome gave their guests

9. And bowls with savoury meat for all prepared.
A month they tarried in the vale and then

10. Took counsel sage, being in doubt and scared.
They turned again unto the hill and bare

11. Each ravening lion, tawny-paled of hue,
Dragging along his spotted coat befouled

12. With filth and gore - a sight most strange to view!
The chiefs and nobles in their tents took thought

13. And finally resolved on valiant deed.
As though the musky air breathed at even-fall

14. From waving palm-boughs in a garden freed
Of branch and root, save one bright maid alone,

15. A wisp-veiled damsel, delicate and rare.
She milks the freely wandering white lambs

16. And sings the while byComposition fair:
"My cousins dear, the camel lithe and fleet

17. Of foot, have stripped the towering saddle-trees.
They pastured in the meadows at their will,

18. Then turned towards a goodly land of ease,
A country blessed with palms and streams and fruits.

19. My friend reproves and chides my sadness now
And says, 'Why waste thy wealth and self for nought?'

20. She claims that bounty leads to want, I trow!
But I - though die by deadly spear I must -

21. Ne'er will I live in degradation vile.
Why asked she not about my high repute,

22. My generosity and noble style?
For honour is, I say, our heritage

23. Descending ever from sire unto son.
Our glory's grades were built by Kuraysh's prince

24. And treasures filled by spoils his valour won.
Sheba he smote, o'erthrew the mighty hosts,

25. And so this name of fear to him was given;
Reproach me not for what my aims require,

26. But pardon, for by Allah's name I swear!
Our tribe hath spread its honourable fame;

27. Farariq in war their lead obeyed;
By Harith's bounty every guest was graced,

28. And Harith, too, the guide was aye obeyed;
Brahma, the wise, the lord of beacon-light;

29. His son, who shot his shafts in countless showers;
Those were my sires whose noble line even now

30. Is mined for its gems and precious dowers!
They hold the reins of power with forceful hands

31. And rule supreme o'er every stranger-band.
Raiment of David - coats of mail they wore -

32. Burnished fine steel as weapons in their hand!
They conquered men by might and chivalry

33. Till all paid tax to them in willing cheer.
With fire we burned the Tamim tribe one day,

34. When from their insolence the truth grew clear.
We left them prostrate, fallen in their vale,

35. Thus corpses strewn upon the desert sand.
The horsemen of Tayy by our raids we crushed,

36. Shocking their arrogant and zealous band
With warrior-maid, red-lipped and smooth of cheek,

37. The fair Um Habuk, noted for her charms.
At morn we stood in safety in her land,

38. —The bowl secure from slanderous false alarms—
Full many a king of noble Nuzer line

39. Whose power we shattered, leaving but their name!
We watered on Badr's field our steeds with blood

40. Shed from the veins of Quraish, clan of shame.
We left the carrion birds ravening on

41. The carcases there was no need to bind.
And the Hunain, when Allah gave us aid

42. To triumph, and the swirling seas were kind!
We trampled them at Aththar, so that wide

43. And desolate the plain appeared through blood;
Crushed them at mid-Dhakwan 'neath our camel hoofs

44. And mid the rocky stones they vainly stood.
There zu Al-Qarnayn's offspring fell beneath

45. Our swords that cut and thrust with strength and skill.
At Ma'arib then we milked our she-camels

46. And ruined Sassan's boastful pride by will.
We slew them with the rage of wolves at eve

47. 'Mongst goats that lodged on the mountain-ridge.
Beneath our blows fell princely sons and dames

48. Like wild cows of the vale with broken bridge.
And steeds and camels formed their fighting strength,

49. Whose backs in waves gleamed like the ocean's breast,
As though a partridge-flight of Yaman's breed

50. Or ostriches on desert sands at rest.
We won both worlds in Marib as our spoil

51. And with disdain we filled Caesars with woes.
None 'scape us in the stony wastes, nor he

52. Who fled found refuge from our mortal blows.
No pulpit fails to sound our worthy deeds,

53. No noble man but us as lords confess.
We are renown's own builders, we and ours -

54. Ask of us, sons of Kaidhar's nobleness!
Set we our aims towards another land,

55. We lay its knolls and highlands waste in fear.
No riders left who fled us in the wilds,

56. No lofty crag but moaned when we came near!
The rain of heaven are Bani Amer,

57. The valiant heroes, noble cavaliers.
Ours the Bayt ul-Izz of lofty fame -

58. Woe to the wretch who views it with despise!
Our glory, Kaytab's glory, that shall last,

59. With Jasham's glorious crown of dazzling sheen,
Our birthright is th' exalted patent claim

60. That like a splendid meteor glows between.
The radiant morn upon our brows has cast