وَلَرُبَّما سَلَّت لَنا مِن مائِها

سَيفاً وَكانَ عَنِ النَواظِر مُغمَدا

Sometimes she unsheathes for us from her water

A sword that had been sheathed from watching eyes.

طَبَعتهُ لُجِّيّا فَذابَت صَفحَةٌ

مِنهُ وَلَو جَمُدَت لَكانَ مُهَنَّدا

Its steel is hardened but one stroke would melt

A span of it, though otherwise it freezes fast.