لَقَد نَظَرَت عَنزٌ إِلى الجَزعِ نَظرَةً

إِلى مِثلِ مَوجِ المُفعَمِ المُتَلاطِمِ

A ewe looked upon the shepherd

As waves heave upon each other when they swell,

إِلى حِميَرٍ إِذ وَجَّهوا مِن بِلادِهِم

تَضيقُ لَهُم لَأياً فُروجُ المَخارِمِ

Or as donkeys from their homeland turned

Though the mountain passes narrowed for them as well.

رَأَت فَوقَ رَأسِ الكَلبِ شَخصاً بِكَفِّهِ

عَلى البُعدِ كِنفٌ أَو خَصيفَةَ لاحِمِ

She saw a figure waving up ahead

Like a robe or garment flapping in the distance dim,

فَكَذَّبَها سُكّانُ جَوٍّ فَصُبِّحوا

بِتِسعينَ أَلفاً كَالأُسودِ الضَراعِمِ

Yet the inhabitants of the air denied what she had said,

Ninety thousand strong like howling wolves and fiery lions grim.

وَما كَذَبَت عَنزٌ وَلَكِن تَبَيَّنَت

كَما أَبصَرَتنا بِنتَ قَيسِ بنِ عاصِمِ

No ewe did lie, but she perceived aright

As we were seen by Qais ibn 'Asim's daughter keen and slim.