وَبَلَدٍ يَغْتالُ خَطْوَ المُخْتَطِي

بِغائِلِ الغَوْلِ عَرِيضِ المَبْسَطِ

In a land that lies in ambush for the steps of the wayfarer,

With the deceit of misguidance and outstretched evil,

بِهِ الرَذَايَا مِنْ وَجٍ وَمُسْقَطِ

مُنْخَرِقِ الجَوْزِ مَخُوفِ المَهْبِطِ

In it are steep descents and resting places,

With clefts in the rock face and fearsome slopes,

عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَكْنافِ قَيْظٍ يَغْتَطِي

شَبْكٌ مِنَ الآلِ كَشَبْكِ المُشَّطِ

Upon it are folds of scorching heat that smothers,

A network of hills like the teeth of a comb,

إِذَا شَمارِيخُ النِياف الأَعْيَطِ

عُمِّمْنَ بِالآلِ اعْتِمام الأَشْمَطِ

When the howling winds blow,

The hills are covered with drifting sand,

ما كادَ لَيْلُ القَرَبِ الْمُخْرَوِّطِ

بِالعِيسِ تَمْطُوهَا قِياقٍ تَمْتَطِي

Before the bent night of the encampment

Can be folded by the tents pitching down,

عُوجاً كَمَا اعْوَجَّتْ قِيَاسُ الشَوْحَطِ

وَخَبْطُ أَيْدِيها صِعَابَ المَخْبَطِ

Twisted like the twists of a crooked staff,

And the groping of its hands like one searching in the dark,

يَنْتُقْن أَقْتاب النُسُوع الأُطَّطِ

تُفْضِي إلَى أَبْلاطِ جَوْفٍ مُبْلَطِ

They choose the summits of the rising sand dunes,

Pouring down into the hollow of a paved land,

عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سافِي الرِياحِ الخُطَّطِ

أَجْنٌ كَنَيئِ اللَحْمِ لَمْ يُشَيَّطِ

Upon which blow the hot desert winds,

A range like uncooked meat never warmed by fire,

باكَرْتُهُ قَبْلَ الغَطَاطِ اللُغَّطِ

وَقَبْلَ جَوْنِيِّ القَطَا المُخَطَّطِ

I came upon it before the ungainly hyena and prowling wolf

And before the howling of the wild dogs roaming in packs,

وقَبْل أَفْراط الصَباح الفُرَّطِ

وَوِرْدِ مَيّاطِ الذِئابِ المُيَّطِ

And before the exuberance of the cheerful dawn

And the arrival of the evening wolves that howl plaintively,

بِسِلبٍ ذِي سَلِباتٍ وُخَّط

يَمْطُو السُرَى بِعُنُقٍ عَنَطْنَطِ

With a brave warrior, ready for the fight,

Who travels the miles with outstretched neck,

فِي ضَبْرِ ضَوْجانِ القَرَا لِلْمُمْتَطِي

يَنْضُو المَطايَا عَنَقُ المُسَمَّطِ

In the paddle of a constant riding beast for the rider,

The camels extending their necks trot evenly,

بِرِجلٍ طالَتْ وَبَوْعٍ مِنْشَطِ

يَحْتَثُّ عَجْلَى رَجْعُها لَمْ يُقْسَطِ

With a leg that stretches out and a quick pace

Their hasty return is never cut short,

فَأَيُّهَا القائِلُ قَوْلَ المُفْرِطِ

وَأَنَا فِي العِزِّ الَّذِي لَمْ يُوهَطِ

So which of you makes rash judgements

When I possess a glory that cannot diminish,

يَبْأَى علَى بَغْي الِعدَا وَالمُشْطِطِ

بِكُلِّ غَضْبَانٍ عَلَى التَعَيُّطِ

That turns away from the enmity of foes and fault finders,

With every angry one prone to complaining,

مُنْتَفِج الشَجْر أَبِيِّ المُسْخَطِ

يُصْلِقُ نابَاهُ مِنَ التَخَمُّطِ

A grim-faced tree, stubborn and frowning,

Baring its fangs in agony,

وَقُلْت أَقْوال امْرِئٍ لَمْ يُبْعِطِ

أَعْرِضْ عَنِ الناسِ وَلا تَسَخَّطِ

When I have said the words of one who never lacked integrity

Turn away from people and do not get upset,

فَالناسُ يَعْتُون عَلَى المُسَلَّطِ

وَلنْ تَنَالَ الحِلْمَ ما لَمْ تَرْبِطِ

For people will transgress against the powerful,

And you will not attain wisdom if you do not restrain

عَقْلاً وَتَعْلَم أَنَّ ما لَمْ يَفْرُطِ

مِنْ صَوْنِكَ العِرْضَ بَعِيدُ المَشْحَطِ

Your mind, and know that one who does not squander

Guarding your honour, aloof from shame,

وَأَنَّ أَدْواء الرِجال النُحَّطِ

مَكانَها مِنْ شامِتٍ وَغُبَّطِ

And that the misfortunes of men, the debased,

Come from one who gloats and is fortunate,

بِفَضْلِ آكَال الإلَه الأَسْبَطِ

مِنْ نائِلِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَخْلِطِ

By the grace of the Almighty God,

From the attainment of God, and one who does not mix

بِالْحِلْمِ جَهْلاً يَسْتَكِنَ أَوْ يُوهَطِ

وَالحافِرُ الشَرَّ مَتَى يَسْتَنْبِطِ

Foolishness with wisdom, diminished or fading away,

Just as the noble steed reveals its true nature

يَنْزِعْ ذَمِيماً وَجِلاً أَوْ يَحْلِطِ

Tossing aside the base and despicable.