قَد أَغتَدي وَاللَيلُ أَحوى السُدِّ

وَالصُبحُ في الظَلماءِ ذو تَقَدّي

I have woken though night wraps its cloak

I venture forth while night draws tight its darkened veil,

And dawn pierces the darkness, a flickering glow,

And dawn advances, cutting through the gloom,

مِثلُ اِهتِزازِ العَضبِ ذي الفِرَندِ

بِأَهرَتِ الشِدقَينِ مُرمَئدِ

Like the trembling of an adder’s crest

Like the shimmering of a sharp sword, rippled with patterns.

When the two lips quiver, eyes aglow.

With a wide-jawed beast, trembling with eagerness,

أَزبَرَ مَضبورِ القَرا عِلكَدِّ

طاوي الحَشا في طَيِّ جِسمٍ مَعدِ

A wasp shot forth, intent on its goal

Thick-maned, with a compact back, sturdy and strong,

To the phantom blocking its onward tread,

Lean in the flank, his body coiled and muscular,

كَرهِ الرِوا جَمٍّ غُضونِ الخَدِّ

دُلامِزٍ ذي نَكَفٍ مُسوَدِّ

Spied with sustained, unblinking gaze

Disdaining water, deep wrinkles lining his jowls,

Two gray serpents, forehead armored with lead.

Solid as a rock, with black knots behind his ears,

شَرَنبَثٍ أَغلَبَ مُصمَعِدِّ

Then struck, no weakling in the fray,

Thick-clawed, heavy-necked, standing alert and high.

Through flames and ashes smoldering red,

كَاللَيثِ إِلّا نُمرَةً بِالجِلدِ

لِلشَبَحِ الحائِلِ مُستَعِدِّ

Like an Arabian viper’s smooth glide

A match for the lion, save for the spots upon his hide,

With each slight jerk and measured tread,

Poised and ready for the shifting silhouettes.

عايَنَ بَعدَ النَظَرِ المُمتَدِّ

سِربَينِ عَنّا بِجَبينٍ صَلدِ

Until the cave of his wish drew near.

He spotted, after a long and piercing gaze,

He blasted it with clamor untamed

Two herds appearing on the rugged hillside.

فَاِنقَضَّ يَأدو غَيرَ مُجرَهِدِّ

في لَهَبٍ عَنهُ وَخَتلٍ إِدِّ

And ravaged it with his might

He swooped down, creeping low before the sprint,

After two faint gusts of greed and aim.

With burning speed and wondrous, cunning stealth,

مِثلَ اِنسِيابِ الحَيَّةِ العِربَدِّ

بِكُلِّ نَشزٍ وَبِكُلِّ وَهدِ

No good the prey without steadfast hound.

Smooth as the slithering of a venomous viper,

Over every rise and through every hollowed dip.

حَتّى إِذا كانَ كَهافي القَصدِ

صَعصَعَها بِالصَحصَحانِ الجُردِ

Until, when close as an arrow to its mark,

He scattered them across the barren, open plain,

وَعاثَ فيها بِفَريغِ الشَدِّ

بَعدَ شَريجَي طَمَعٍ وَحَردِ

And wreaked havoc there with a furious charge,

Driven by the twin spurs of hunger and of rage.

لا خَيرَ في الصَيدِ بِغَيرِ فَهدِ

For there is no virtue in the hunt without a cheetah.