أَلا طَرَقَت رُويمَةُ بَعدَ هَدءٍ

تَخَطّى هَولَ أَنمارٍ وَأُسدِ

Has not the wild cow of Ruweimah wandered after calmness

Beyond the terrors of leopards and lions?

تَجوسُ رِحالَنا حَتّى أَتَتنا

طُروقاً بَينَ أَعرابِ وَجُندِ

It roams about our saddlebags until it came to us

Amid Arabs and soldiers.

فَقالَت ما فعلتَ أَبا كَثيرٍ

أَصَحَّ الودُّ أَم أَخلفتَ عَهدي

It said, “What have you done with Abu Kathir?

Has friendship remained well or have you broken your vow?

كَأَنَّ المِسكَ ضُمَّ عَلى الخُزامى

إِلى أَحشائِها وَقَضيبَ رَندِ

As if musk were concealed on her leather bag

And the staff of a willow wand.”

أَلا مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي نُعيماً

فَسَوفَ يُجَرِّبُ الأخوانَ بَعدي

Will not one convey on my behalf to Nu'aym

That he will surely try the brothers after me?

رَأَيتُكَ كالشُموسِ تُرى قَريباً

وَتَمنَعُ مَسحَ ناصيَةٍ وَخَدِّ

I saw you like suns that seem near

And forbid the wiping of a face and cheek.

فاني ان أَقَع بِكَ لا أُهَلِّل

كَوَقعِ السَيفِ ذي الأَثرِ الفِرِندِ

If I fall upon you I do not shout victory

Like the fall of a sharpened, effective sword.

فَأَولى ثُمَّ أَولى ثُمَّ أَولى

فَهَل لِلدَّرِ يُجلَبُ من مَردِّ

Over and over, yes over and over, over and over,

Can a pearl be brought back from the returning place?