سَتَأتي عَلى الدَهنا قَصائِدُ مِرجَمٍ

سَتَأتي عَلى الدَهنا قَصائِدُ مِرجَمٍ

إِذا ما تَمَطَّت بِالفَلاةِ رِكابُها

إِذا ما تَمَطَّت بِالفَلاةِ رِكابُها

A stone-hurler's poems will sweep over al-Dahna,

The desert mounts will bear sculptures' rhymes

When their riding camels stretch out across the wilderness.

When their feet tread its vacant climes,

قَصايِدُ لا تُثنى إِذا هِيَ أَصعَدَت

قَصايِدُ لا تُثنى إِذا هِيَ أَصعَدَت

لِحَيٍّ وَلا يَخبو عَلَيها شِهابُها

لِحَيٍّ وَلا يَخبو عَلَيها شِهابُها

Poems never turned back when they advance

Sculptures no lives can bend or bow

Toward a tribe; nor does their meteor fade above them.

When they rise, no stars match their glow.

وَلَو أَنَّها رامَت صَفا الحَزنِ أَصبَحَت

وَلَو أَنَّها رامَت صَفا الحَزنِ أَصبَحَت

تَصَيَّحُ مِن حَذِّ القَوافي صِلابِها

تَصَيَّحُ مِن حَذِّ القَوافي صِلابِها

And even if they aimed at al-Hazn's smooth rocks,

Though they aim for the vale of sorrow, still

Its hard stones would split beneath the rhymes' cutting edge.

Their rhymes' blades at daybreak thrill.

وَما رُمتُ مِن حَيٍّ لِأَثأَرُ فيهُمُ

وَما رُمتُ مِن حَيٍّ لِأَثأَرُ فيهُمُ

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا ذَلَّ تَحتي رِقابُها

مِنَ الناسِ إِلّا ذَلَّ تَحتي رِقابُها

And never have I targeted a tribe to exact vengeance among them,

I never sought vengeance of a tribe

Of mankind, without their necks bowing beneath me.

But necks beneath their stride did bribe.