تَرى رَبَّهُ البَهم الفِرارَ عَشِيّةً
إِذا ما عدا في بَهمِها وَهوَ ضائِعُ
He sees his Lord when misfortune descends at dusk,
As it spreads through the gloom and he wanders lost.
فَقامَت تَعُسُّ ساعةً ما تُطيقُها
مِنَ الدَّهرِ نامَتها الكِلابُ الظَّوالِعُ
So she stands, miserable, for an hour she cannot endure
Of time: even the keenest hounds have slept their fill.
رأَتهُ فَشَكَّت وَهوَ أَطحَلُ مائِلٌ
إِلى الأَرضِ مَثنيٌّ إِلَيهِ الأَكارِعُ
She saw him lolling, prone to the ground, legs folded under him,
His body limp, his arms collapsing.
طَوي البَطنِ إِلا مِن مَصيرٍ يبلُّه
دَمُ الجَوف أَو سؤرٌ مِنَ الحَوضِ ناقِعُ
His belly flat, except for the flow of blood
Inside, or grime from a burst gallbladder.
هوَ البَعِلُ الدَّاني مِنَ النّاسِ كالَّذي
لَهُ صُحبَةٌ وَهوَ العَدوُّ المُنازِعُ
He is a close, loyal friend, and a hostile opponent.
His eyes glitter, both filled with eager malice,
تَرى طَرَفيهِ يَعسِلان كِلاهُما
كَما اهتَزَّ عودُ الساسَمِ المُتَتايعُ
Like the swaying branch of a hissing viper.
When he fears injustice from a foe, his claws
إِذا خافَ جَوراً مِن عَدو رَمَت بِهِ
مَخالِبُهُ والجانِبُ المُتواسِعُ
And his muscular flank attack.
Though he spends a night alone, it doesn't confine him;
وإِن باتَ وَحشاً لَيلَةً لَم يَضِق بِها
ذِراعاً وَلَم يُصبِح لَها وَهوَ خاضِعُ
He starts the next day not humbled.
For hours of the night he walks secure and calm,
وَيَسري لِساعاتٍ مِنَ اللَّيلِ قَرَّةٍ
يَهابُ السُّرى فيها المَخاضُ النَّوازِعُ
Though childbirth makes the women's quarters tremble.
When he takes refuge in a village for rest,
إِذا احتلّ حِضنَي بَلدَةٍ طُرّ مِنهُما
لأُخرى خَفيَّ الشَّخصِ لِلريحِ تابِعُ
He moves furtively on to another, blending with the wind.
If a land distrusts him he simply finds
وإِن حَذِرت أَرضٌ عَليهِ فإِنَّهُ
بغرة أُخرى طيِّبُ النَّفسِ قانِعُ
Another straightaway, content, relaxed.
If he steals from a miser's cattle, taking them unawares
إِذا نالَ من بَهمِ البَخيلَةِ غِرَّةً
عَلى غَفلةٍ مِمّا يَرى وَهوَ طالِعُ
While keeping watch, the miser complains—
Even if the raider were his own son—when the spirits
تَلومُ وَلَو كانَ ابنها فَرِحَت بِهِ
إِذا هَبَّ أَرواحُ الشِّتاءِ الزَّعازِعُ
Of winter storms begin to blow.
You sleep like a leopard, satiated, near someone on guard
وَنِمتَ كَنَومِ الفَهدِ عَن ذي حَفيظَةٍ
أَكلتَ طَعاماً دونَهُ وَهوَ جائِعُ
Who eats his food though you remain hungry.
You sleep with one eyelid closed, while the other eye
يَنامُ بإِحدى مُقلَتيهِ وَيتّقي
بأُخرى الأَعادي فَهوَ يَقظانُ هاجِعُ
Keeps careful watch for enemies. Lying down, you're awake.
When you get up you stretch your full length, extending
إِذا قام أَلقى بوعَه قدرَ طولِهِ
وَمدَّد مِنهُ صُلبَه وَهوَ بائِعُ
Your firm belly, jumping nimbly to your feet.
You bare your jaws till, mutually hostile,
وَفكّكَ لحَييهِ فَلمّا تَعادَيا
صَأَى ثُمَ أَقعى والبِلادُ بلاقِعُ
They pull apart, then squat, while the land lies barren.
You went on watching over the army till the whores
فَظلّ يُراعي الجَيشَ حَتّى تَغَيَّبت
خُباشٌ وَحالَت دونَهُنَّ الأَجارِعُ
Disappeared, and bushes blocked them from your view.
When you set out one day, you see a swirl
إِذا ما غَدا يَوماً رأَيت غَيايَةً
مِنَ الطَّير يَنظُرنَ الَّذي هُوَ صانِعُ
Of birds, looking to see what you will do.
You intend one thing, then resolve to do another,
فَهَمَّ بأَمرٍ ثُمَ أَزمَعَ غَيرَهُ
وإِن ضاقَ أَمرٌ مَرةً فَهوَ واسِعُ
And when matters grow too tight, you always find more room.
