شجاكَ الحيُّ إذ بانوا

فدمعُ العينِ تهتانُ

The tribe filled you with sorrow when they departed,

so the tears of your eyes poured without cease.

كأنّي يومَ رَدّوا العي

سَ للرحلةِ نَشوانُ

As though I, on the day they drove the pale cam—

—els onward for the journey, were drunk.

وفوقَ العيس إذ ولُّوْا

مَهىً حُورٌ وغَزلانُ

And atop the pale camels, as they turned away,

were oryx, dark-eyed beauties, and gazelles.

إذا ما قمنَ فالأعجا

زُ في التشبيهِ كُثْبانُ

Whenever they stood, their haunch—

—es among the dunes were dunes;

وما جاوزَ للأعلى

فأقمارٌ وأغْصانُ

and what extended higher still

was moons and branches.