ومرنحين من النعاس فلت بهم

ايدي المطي نواصي الكثبان

Their eyes heavy with drowsiness, the reins slipped through their hands,

As the horses ambled on through the dunes.

عبثت بهم سنة الكرى فتمايلوا

فوق الرحال تمايل النشوان

The years of misery made them sway

Atop their mounts, swaying like shoots of anemone.

من كل منخرق القميص مسربل

في البيد شملة ليلةِ السرحان

Through each torn shirt was bared

A cloak for the night of wakefulness.

وملوح العرنين يختبط الضحى

عنقا يلفُّ اباطحا برعان

The salty sweat dripped down in the morning

A neck twisting and writhing without restraint.

واشيعثُ من داب وعثاء السرى

حتى يعلَّ عواطش المران

Disheveled were they from pacing about,

Until the hut tops of Muraan appeared.

مر وابمعتاج الكثيب وعرَّست

بهم الركائب في ربى نعمان

Past the sand-dune they went, their mounts stumbling

And the riders thrown in the meadows of Na'maan.

يتطلعون على الملاعب غزلةً

غناء تمرح في ظلال البان

They looked out over the playgrounds longingly,

A song frolicking in the shade of the acacias.

وربارباً عينا تدير محاجراً

مرضى مواقع اثمد الاجفان

An eye goes round and round, its lids

Sickened, its lashes frozen.

وبمسقط الرمل الانيق غزيَّل

يرنو بفاتر اكحل وسنان

In the charming, delicate sands, a gazelle

Glances languidly, kohl-lined eyes and teeth.

مستشرف يرتاد روض خميلةٍ

عبقت بنشر ذوائب الريحان

One who aspires to the garden of a beautiful Khameela,

Fragrant with the blossoms of sweet basil.

شرق الترائب يشرئب فانثني

والعين تشرق بالنجيع القاني

The wavy mirage shimmers and I swoon,

My eyes bedazzled by the distant, hazy horizon.

يرمي بسهمي ادعجين ويتقي

عن رخص سالفةٍ برخص بنان

With my two arrows I take aim and am cautious

Of former boons with the boons of Banan.

هل لي بردِّ جموح سافح عفرة

اجريتها بالسفح من نجران

Would that I had the impetuous gallop of a she-camel, gray-haired,

That I spurred down the slope from Najran!

او أن اسام به القلى فاربما

شمخت بانفي نخوة الغيران

Or that I could breathe valor into my soul, so perhaps

My nostrils would flare with the pride of the noble!

خلّفتني ما بين اظهر عصبة

رخو البطون تألَّبت لهواني

You left me amid the rearmost of the tribe,

Soft bellies who submit to lowliness.

اورى التشاحن في فراش صدورها

شررا فشبَّ مثورا بدخان

I almost see the sparks in the hearts’ bedding flare up

Then die down in smoke.

لولا الدوارج من شبولك لم تزل

بين الترعرع ثمَّ والجولان

Were it not for the horsemen of Shabeelak, still

You’d be between at-Tara’ar and al-Jawlan.

لصرفت عن طرق المذلة خاطري

وعطفت عن دار الهوان عناني

I would have turned my spirit from the path of disgrace

And pulled on my steed's reins away from the house of dishonor.

بخفاف اردية الفخار رقائق

وثقال اوعية الحلوم رزان

With the light armor of earthenware pots, delicate

And the heavy vessels of meats, dignified.

كم عزمةٍ ارهفت فيك غرارها

ارهاف ذي شطب اجب يَّماني

How many resolves have been sharpened against you

With the sharpening of a Yemeni Indian sword!

ما كنت احسب ان تزلَّ باخمصي

قدمي وطوع يدي يد الحدثان

I did not expect that my feet would slip

And that the hands of youths would dominate my hands.

فلقد نبا عضبي واصدء جوهري

وانبثَّ بعد الرصف عقد جماني

My pride was awakened and my essence shook;

After being woven my necklace of pearls was unstrung.

مالي وللأيام تمنع درَّها

عني وتاخذ عن يدي ولساني

What is wrong with the days that they withhold

Their gold from me, take my hand and tongue from me?

والدهر مرَّ علي ينحت مروتي

حتى اناخ بكلكلي وجراني

Time passed me by sculpting my inclinations

Until it lingered around my ankles and pulled me along.

فكأني في زحلٍ مطالع طالعي

او أن في الدبران نجم قراني

So I feel as if in my ascendant stars an eclipse rises

Or a star conjoins me as I set.

فاليك خذ بيدي فديتك من عنا

دهرٍ جنى مالي عليه يدان

So take me by the hand – my life for you – from the

Clutches of a lifetime whose hands have seized my possessions.

تجد الأبا والعز حيث وجدتني

وترى العلى والمجد حيث تراني

You will find glory and honor where you find me,

And you will see nobility and glory where you look upon me.

ولئن نميت الى الفخار فأنما

علويُّ مجدك للفخار نماني

And if I sleep on earthenware, it is only

Because your glory makes the earthenware sleep gloriously.

هبني جنيت وما جنيت وإنما

قد جنَّ ذاك المستبدُّ الجاني

It has brought me down, what it has brought down, but rather

That tyrant who wronged me has brought it down.