عَرَفتُ الدِيارَ كَرَقمِ الدَوا

ةِ يَزبِرُها الكاتِبُ الحِميَرِيُّ

I knew the abodes like pages of prose

Inscribed by the Himyarite writer

بِرَقمٍ وَوَشىٍ كَما زُخرِفَت

بِميشَمِها المُزدَهاةُ الهَدِيُّ

With symbols and embellishments as decorated

By its adorning, gifted artisan

أَدانَ وَأَنبَأَهُ الأَوَّلو

نَ أَنَّ المُدانَ المَلِيُّ الوَفِيُّ

The elders informed and predicted

That the settled, faithful homeland

فَيَنظُرُ في صُحُفٍ كَالرِيا

طِ فيهِنَّ إِرثُ كِتابٍ مَحِيُّ

Views scrolls like speckled shawls

In them lies the inheritance of an effaced book

عَلَى أَطرِقا بالِياتُ الخِيا

مِ إِلّا الثُمامُ وَإِلّا العِصِيُّ

Upon the relics of tents, the ruins of glory

Save for the resolute and the steadfast

فَلَم يَبقَ مِنها سِوى هامِدٍ

وَسُفعُ الخُدودِ مَعاً وَالنُؤِيُّ

So nothing remains but the submissive

And the bowed cheeks together with the pining

وَأَشعَثَ في الدارِ ذي لِمَّةٍ

لَدى إِرِثِ حَوضٍ نَفاهُ الأَتِيُّ

And unkempt in the house of a community

Beside the inheritance of a basin, emptied by the coming

كَعوذِ المُعَطِّفِ أَحزى لَها

بِمَصدَرَةِ الماءِ رَأمٌ رَذِيُّ

Like the cloak's lapwing, saddened for it

By the spring's outlet, a gazelle, lovely and tender

فَهُنَّ عُكوفٌ كَنَوحِ الكَري

مِ قَد لاحَ أَكبادَهُنَّ الهَوِيُّ

There they are, hunched like the bending palm trees

Whose hearts have been ignited by passion

وَأَنسى نُشَيبَةَ وَالجاهِلُ ال

مُغَمَّرُ يَحِسَبُ أَنّي نَسِيُّ

And forgot old age, and the ignorant immersed one

Thinks I have forgotten

يَسُرُّ الصَديقَ وَيَنكي العَدُوَّ

وَمِردى حُروبٍ رَضِيٌّ نَدِيُّ

Gladdening the friend and grieving the enemy

And the disputes of wars, agreeable and gentle

عَلى حينِ أَن تَمَّ فيهِ الثَلا

ثُ حَدٌّ وَجودٌ وَلُبٌّ رَخِيُّ

At a time when the three have been perfected in him

Zeal, generosity, and a soul kind and easy

وَمِن خَيرِ ما عَمِلَ الناشِىءُ ال

مُعَمَّمُ خَيرٌ وَزَندٌ وَرِيُّ

Of the best of what the youth has done

The turbaned one, goodness, dignity, and well-bred

وَصَبرٌ عَلى حَدَثِ النائِباتِ

وَحِلمٌ رَزينٌ وَقَلبٌ ذَكِيُّ

And patience for the occurrence of tribulations

And composure, grace, and a heart wise