إذا عرّسَ السّارونَ في بَطْنِ زامِرٍ

فسِرْ وتعوذْ من شِرارِ الطّوارِقِ

When the caravan camps in the belly of a valley,

Interpret omens and seek refuge from evil raiders.

ففي الهَضْبةِ الحَمْراءِ إنْ كنتَ سارياً

أُغيْبِرُ يأوي في صُدوعِ الشّواهِقِ

For on the red plateau, if you are traveling,

A hyena lurks in the crevices of the high cliffs.

يسالمُ ركبانَ الطّريقِ نهارَهُ

إلى الليلِ مخبوءٌ لإحدى البَوائِقِ

By day he greets the passersby on the road,

By night he hides in one of the mountain passes.

كأنّ بَقايا ما سَرى من قَميصهِ

على متنِهِ أقوافُ بُردٍ شَبارِقِ

As if the remnants of his tattered shirt

On his back are folds of a bright cuirass.

يُقَصِّرُ عن يافوخهِ حين تَنطوي

حقيبةُ مملوءٍ من السُّمِّ زاهِقِ

He keeps his poison pouch hidden from his belt

When it coils as a full quiver of lethal venom.

تَناذَرهُ الحاوونَ إذْ بَصروا بهِ

تُسارقُ عيناه بَنانَ المُشارِقِ

When the guards saw him their hearts shuddered,

His eyes stealing glances at the radiant horizons.

وغَرّهُم منه وهم يَخدعونَه

كِراهٌ على أيمانهم والمَواثِقِ

And they were fooled by him though they mistrusted him,

Loathing his oaths and covenants.

ودونَ الذي يَرجون من سَقَطاتِهِ

حفيظةُ مشبوبِ اللحاظِ مُرامِقِ

Short of what they hoped to gain from his downfall

Was a alert youth with piercing eyes.

مَطولٍ إذا ماطلتَه الكيدَ سادرٍ

جَريءٍ إذا بادهتَه في الحَقائِقِ

Enduring when malice delays its traps, bold

When faced with the truth in perils.