قَد أَغتَدي وَالصُبحُ مَشهورُ

قَد طَلَعَت فيهِ التَباشيرُ

The morning shone bright and I was ready,

I venture forth while dawn is clearly bright,

Harbingers of dawn began to appear,

And morning's heralds rise to claim the light,

بِمُخطَفِ الأَيلُلِ في خَطمِهِ

طولٌ وَفي شِدقَيهِ تَأخيرُ

With the crescent moon still in its mouth,

On a lean-flanked steed with muzzle long and fine,

Long but slowing in its career,

Whose deep-set jaws portray a noble line.

عَمَلَّسُ العَجزِ بَعيدُ الخُطى

مُسَلجَمُ المَتنَينِ مِحضيرُ

The cripple advanced with labored gait,

Wolf-like of croup, his stride is long and vast,

The python slithered forth from its lair,

With tapered back, a galloper unsurpassed.

حَتّى ذَعَرنا كُنُساً لَم يُصَب

بِها مِنَ الأَحداثِ مَقدورُ

Till we startled a flock unused to men,

We startled game within their covert lair,

Or the vagaries of fate they bear,

Unscathed by fate, unaware of the snare.

اِقتَرَنَت مِن خَشيَةِ لِلرَدى

عَفَّرَها في النَقعِ زُنبورُ

Huddling together in their alarm,

They clustered close in terror of the thrust,

A wasp descended on them there,

Till this stinging hornet rolled them in the dust.

كَأَنَّهُ سَهمٌ إِلى غايَةٍ

أَو كَوكَبٌ في الأُفقِ مَحدورُ

Like an arrow shot true to its mark,

As swift as any arrow seeks its aim,

Or a planet traversing the air,

Or falling star descends in trailing flame.

فَحانَ مِنها قَرهَبٌ عُفِّرَت

مِن بَعدِهِ عَنزٌ يَيَعفورُ

A lamb separated from the herd,

An ancient bull was slain and cast aside,

Bleating piteously in despair,

Then doe and fawn fell swiftly and they died.

حَتّى إِذا والى لَنا أَربَعاً

وَاِثنَينِ وَالمَجهودُ مَوفورُ

Until adding four and two in the count,

Till four he had subdued and brought to hand,

Our labors at last bore fruit to share,

And two besides, yet strength he could command.

رُحنا بِهِ نَنضَحُ أَعطافَهُ

وَهوَ بِما أَولاهُ مَشكورُ

We sprinkled their sides as reward for the debt,

We turned him home, cooling his fevered hide,

Thankful for bounty they did not spare,

Praising the bounty that his speed supplied.

رُحنا بِهِ في تُربَةٍ إِذ أَتَت

وَمِثلُهُ لِلجُهدِ مَذخورُ

We left with enough, and more to spare,

We brought him back, though dust lay on his frame,

Preserved gain for efforts we dare.

A treasure kept for trials of greatest name.