رَأَتْ أُمَيْمَةُ أَطْمارِي وَناظِرُهَا

يَعومُ بالدَّمْعِ مُنْهَلَّاً بَوادِرُهُ

Umaymah saw my camels and her watcher's eyes

Swimming with tears, their first rain pouring forth.

وَما دَرَتْ أَنَّ في أَثْنائِها رَجُلاً

تُرْخَى على الأَسدِ الضّارِي غَدائِرُهُ

She did not know there was inside her a man

Whose wraps would be cast on a fierce lion.

أَغَرُّ في مُلْتَقى أَوْداجِهِ صَيَدٌ

حُمْرٌ مَناصِلُهُ بِيضٌ عَشائِرُهُ

I pounce on the junction of his sinews, sweet prey,

Red are his joints, white his bone joints.

إِنْ رَثَّ بُرْدِي فَلَيْسِ السَّيْفُ مُحْتَفِلاً

بِالغِمْدِ وَهْوَ رَميضُ الغَرْبِ باتِرُهُ

If my cloak drags, my sword does not miss its duty,

Hot in the reddening dusk light.

وَهِمَّتي في ضَمير الدَّهْرِ كامِنَةٌ

وَسَوْفَ يَظْهَرُ ما تُخْفِي ضَمائِرُهُ

My purpose lies hidden in the heart of fate,

And what it hides its essence will disclose.

وَهَلْ لَهُ غَيْرَ قَوْمِي مَنْ يَهُزُّ بِهِ

عِطْفَيْهِ تِيهاً وبي تَمَّتْ مَفاخِرُهُ

Who but my tribe to shake him with their hands

Wandering lost, while perfect stand my glories?

كانَتْ أَوائِلُهُ تُزْهَى بِأَوَّلِهِمْ

كَما بِآخِرِهِمْ زِينَتْ أَواخِرُهُ

His first steps were adorned as were his last steps

As his last were adorned his beginnings.