أحسنُ من ظبيةٍ لها رشأ

يروعُها شخصهُ إذا سنَحا

Better than a gazelle who feels wary

Fairer than a doe that nurses her fawn,

Whenever she sees him approaching from afar

Whose form alarms her when he looms in sight;

وغادياتٍ صوائح خرجت

نحو مغارٍ يرومهُ صُبحا

And wanderers whose loud cries head

And clamorous morning raiders issuing forth,

Towards caves at dawn

Towards a plunder targeted at dawn.

فانطلقت نحوهُ فعارضَها

فوارسٌ تنسفُ الفلا مرَحا

So she dashed towards him but horsemen blocked her

They charged towards it, but were intercepted

Trampling flowers as they prance

By horsemen scattering desert sands in glee;

فاجتلدوا بالسيوفِ واضطربوا

حتى رأيتَ الحديدَ قدحا

They brandished swords and turmoil ensued

They struck with swords and clashed in violent strife,

Till sparks flew from clashing steel

Until you saw the iron flashing sparks.

يثير نقعاً مُقَرطقٌ غَنِجٌ

يدير كأساً وبعدها قدحا

Stirring bright ringing clashes

Stirring the dust, a tunic-wearing flirt,

Swirling cups then another round

Circulates the cup, and then the bowl.