بَدَتْ في المرْطِ عاتكِةٌ تَهَادَى

فمادتْ كالقُضيِّب حين مادا

A beautiful gazelle appeared in the meadow, swaying

She stretched like a stick when it is bent

وأومضَ ثغرُها فجَلاَ بياضاً

وأسْبَلَ شعْرُها فجلاَ سوادا

And her mouth flashed, revealing whiteness

And her hair cascaded, revealing blackness

وهزّضتْ مِنْ نواهدِها رِماحاً

ومن أجفانها قُضُباً حِدادا

She shook spears from her delicate limbs

And clubs from her eyelids

فقلتُ لصَاحبي صُدْها فَنَادى

أرى العَنْقاء تكبر أنْ تُصادا

So I said to my companion, "Aim for her!" and he called out

"I see the gazelle too proud to be hunted."

فقلت له ترى كيفَ الثنايَا

فقال أظنها درراً بدادا

So I said to him, "See how she curves?"

And he said, "I think she is scattering pearls."

فقلتُ فما سَهامُ اللحظ منهاَ

فقال إذا رنتْ رمتِ الفؤادا

So I said, "What of the arrows of her glances?"

And he said, "When she sings, she pierces hearts."

فقلتُ حبيبة رَجعتْ عدوّاً

فقال أعيذها من أن تُعادى

So I said, "The darling has turned hostile."

And he said, "I seek refuge for her from enmity."

فقلتُ فخِلِها عنا فغنَّا

أردتُ وغير قلبك ما أرادا

So I said, "Leave her be and let us sing."

I intended something else, but my heart refused.

لئن قَدَمَتْ مخول الشعر قبلي

أراني في مقدمها جوادا

If she arrives before I greet the encampment,

I will ride to her vanguard on a steed.

فدَعْ عنك القرائح واقترحْني

تجدْ مني زهيراً أوْ زيادا

Leave off your compositions and prompt me.

You will find me Zuhair or Ziyad.

إذا اسْتَسْقَى الغمامَ ولم يجلجل

فنور الدين إنْ سألوه جادا

When the clouds draw water but do not rumble,

Nur al-Din, if asked, is generous.

ونور الدين لو لم يُدْعَ لَبَّى

ولو لم يستزدّ وَاللهِ زادا

And Nur al-Din, even if not called, would race

And if not given more, by God, would still excel.