رُبَّما أَغدو مَعي كَلبي

طالِباً لِلصَيدِ في صَحبي

Perhaps I'll go out with my dog

Oft I go forth early, my hound at my side,

Seeking game with my companion

Seeking the hunt among my companions,

فَسَمَونا لِلحَزيزِ بِهِ

فَدَفَعناهُ عَلى أَظبِ

So we headed for the rough ground with him

We ascended the rocky ridges with him,

And set him on a gazelle

And unleashed him upon a herd of gazelles,

فَاستَدَرَّتهُ فَدَرَّ لَها

يَلطِمُ الرِفقَينِ بِالتُربِ

She circled around so he circled her

They provoked his speed, and he poured it forth,

Pawing the ground on both sides

Striking his flanks with the flying dust,

فَادَّراها وَهيَ لاهِيَةٌ

في جَميمِ الخاذِ وَالغَربِ

He harried her while she was distracted

He overtook them while they grazed unawares,

In the sands of dawn and dusk

Amidst the lush growth of the box-thorn and willows,

فَفَرى جَمّاعُهُنَّ كَما

قُدَّ مَخلولانِ مِن عُصبِ

Her companions fled like

He tore through their gathering, just as one,

Two intertwined cables undone

Rends two loose strands from a twisted cord,

غَيرَ يَعفورٍ أَهابَ بِهِ

جابَ دَفَّيهِ عَنِ القَلبِ

Except for a little doe that lingered

Save for a buck which he singled out,

With her heart pounding in her chest

Piercing his ribs to reach the heart,

ضَمَّ لَحيَيهِ بِمِخطَمِهِ

ضَمُّكَ الكَسرَينِ بِالشَعَبِ

He held his jaws together on her throat

Clamping his jaws tight upon its snout,

As you would clasp your hands together

As you would bind a fracture with a splint,

وَانتَهى لِلباهِياتِ كَما

كُسِرَت فَتخاءُ مِن لَهَبِ

And it ended with her collapse just as

He brought down the fair beasts, striking like,

A flame is extinguished by the wind

A broad-winged falcon swooping from flame,

فَتَعايا التَيسُ حينَ كَبا

وَدَنا فوهُ مِنَ العَجبِ

The billy goat approached when she fell

The buck grew weary as he stumbled,

And drew near in wonder

And his mouth drew near to his tail in agony,

ظَلَّ بِالوَعساءِ يُنغِصُهُ

أَزَماً مِنهُ عَلى الصُلبِ

Remaining by the fallen doe, annoyed

In the soft sands, the hound continued to harry him,

By her burden across his shoulders

With a crushing bite upon the spine,

تِلكَ لَذّاتي وَكُنتُ فَتىً

لَم أَقُل مِن لِذَّةٍ حَسَبي

Those were my pleasures when I was a youth

Such were my pleasures when I was a youth,

Never tiring of such delights

Never saying of any joy, "I have had my fill."