أَظُعنٌ بِصَحراءِ الغَبيطَينِ أَم نَخلُ

بَدَت لَكَ أَم دَومٌ بِأَكمامِها حَملُ

Do I see a fox in the wilderness of Al-Ghabiṭayn or is it a palm tree

That appears to you, or tents with their garments like camel litters

فَإِلّا أَمُت أَجعَل لِنَفرٍ قِلادَةً

يُتِمُّ بِها نَفرٌ قَلائِدَهُ قَبلُ

Else I would make for some people a necklace

With which a group of people would complete their necklaces

وَلَو كُنتَ سَيفاً كانَ أَثرُكَ جُعرَةً

وَكُنتَ دَداناً لا يُغيِّرُكَ الصَقلُ

And if you were a sword, your effect would be a skin disease

And if you were a worm, polishing would not change you

وَلَو كُنتَ سهماً كُنتَ أَفوَقَ ناصِل

لَهُ قُذَذٌ لُغبٌ وَلَيسَ لَهُ نَصلُ

And if you were an arrow, you would surpass a piercing one

It has lichen and down but no arrowhead