سَقى اللَهُ الجَزيرةَ مِن مَحَلٍّ

فَقَد حَسُنَت لِقاطِنِها مَراحا

God watered the island from a place

So it became good dwelling for its inhabitants

وَطافَ بِها طَوافَ الصلّ نَهرٌ

كَما أَبصَرتَ في خَصرٍ وِشاحا

And a river circled it, circling of accord

As you saw a waistband on a slender waist

وَرُبَّ عَشيّةٍ فيهِ طِفقنا

نرودُ الظلَّ وَالماءَ القَراحا

And many an evening we wandered in it

Seeking shade, water, and open space

وَقَد ضَرَبَ الضَريبُ بِها قِباباً

عَلى الأَدواحِ أَبَهَجتِ البِطاحا

The tax collector pitched tents on it

On the meadows, delighted for the open ground

وَكانَ جَنابُها يَخضرُّ آسا

فَأَصبَحَ وَهُوَ مَبيضٌ أَقاحا

And its side was green, fresh herbage

But it woke up bleached, withered and dry

كَأَنّ الخضرَ مَرَّ بِهِ يَميناً

وَمَدَّ عَلَيهِ جبريلٌ جَناحا

As if greenery passed by it yesterday

And Gabriel spread his wing over it