وَمُستَلحِمٍ يَخشى اللِحاقَ وَقَد تَلا

بِهِ مُبطِئٌ قَد مَنَّهُ الجَريُ فاتِرُ

And a rider who fears not catching up though slowed

By one tired, worn by running, steps grown leaden,

ضَعيفُ القُوى رِخوُ العِظامِ كَأَنَّهُ

حِبالٌ نَضَتهُ مُبطِئاتٌ مَحامِرُ

Of feeble strength, soft-boned, as though he were

Cords fretted by overdrive mares tardy-leadin’.

فَنَهنَهتُ عَنهُ القَومَ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

حَبا دونَهُ لَيثٌ بِخَفّانَ خادِرُ

I warned the tribe about him till he seemed

A lion the laggards dreaded, fierce and dread in’.

شَتيمٌ أَبو شِبلَينِ أَخضَلَ مِتنَهُ

مِنَ الدَجنِ يَومٌ ذو أَهاضيبَ ماطِرُ

Abu Shibl was being cursed; his mount’s withers

Showed wear from a day of riding in the rainin’.

يَظَلُّ تَغَنّيهِ الغَرانيقُ فَوقَهُ

أَباءٌ وَغيلٌ فَوقَهُ مُتَآصِرُ

The cranes’ song kept shading him as overhead

They gathered, thronging, clustering and complainin’,

مُحِبٌّ كَإِحبابِ السَقيمِ وَما بِهِ

سِوى أَسَفٍ أَن لا يَرى مَن يُثاوِرُ

A lover like a sick man’s raving; yet

He feels no grief at seeing none dissentin’.