وعلى الكثيب استشرفتني ظبية

ظمياء تمرح بالفؤاد بريف

And on the dune a gazelle looked out at me,

dark, slender-lipped, gamboling with my heart in lush countryside.

بالخيف مربعها الانيق ومربعي

وعلى الغوير مصيفها ومصيفي

At al-Khayf are her lovely spring abode and mine,

and at al-Ghuwayr her summer abode and mine.

شغف الفؤاد بها فهام بحبها

يا سعد من للهائم المشغوف

My heart was smitten with her and wandered mad with love for her.

O Sa'd, who will aid the wandering, love-stricken one?

حتى اذا اختطَّ المشيب بمفرقي

ولويت عنها اخدعي وصليفي

Until, when gray hair traced its line along my parting,

and I turned my neck aside from her,

رُمت المعالي بالعوالي فانتظر

لي عزمةً ترمي الردى بصروف

I sought high honors with tall spears; so await

a resolve of mine that pelts Death with calamities.

ولقد تتبَّعتُ الزمان واهله

ولزمت وخدي في السرى ووجيفي

And indeed I have studied time and its people,

and maintained my long stride and swift trot in journeys by night.

وحلبتُ شطري ذا الأنام فلم اجد

غير ابن دنياً للدني حليفِ

And I milked both halves of this human race, yet found none

but a son of the world, allied with the base.

وافت تؤمُّ بي الركائب مربعاً

قد غصَّ رحب فضائه بضيوف

The riding-camels arrived, bearing me to a spring encampment

whose spacious grounds were already choked with guests.

فأرحت في مغنى عليٍّ قلَّصي

ووقفت منه على الندى الموقوف

So I rested my young she-camels at Ali's abode,

and found in him bounty dedicated to others.

لا الجود محتسب غداة تكيله

لك كفه والكيل غير طفيف

His bounty goes uncounted on the morning it is measured out

for you by his palm, and the measure is not scant.

حطت بساحته الملوك ثقالها

وسعت تطوف بربعه المألوف

Kings laid their heavy burdens down in his courtyard,

and hastened to circle his familiar dwelling.

شرفٌ كمنبلج الصباح مصرّحٌ

بالمجد غبَّر وجه كل شريف

A nobility like the breaking dawn, proclaiming

glory, has cast dust upon every nobleman's face.