قَد رَحَلَ الحَىُّ الغَداةَ عَمدَا

وَقَرَّبُوا بُزلاً تَسامَى بُدّا

The encampment departed at dawn deliberately,

And they brought camels, lofty and splendid.

مِثلَ القُصُورِ مُقرَماتٍ تُلدا

غُلبَ الذَّفارَى عافِياتٍ قُحدَا

Like etched citadels newly born,

docile she-camels overcame unbroken colts.

لَمّا رَأَيتُ الظَّعنَ شالَت تُحدا

اَتبَعتُهُنَّ اَرحَبِيَّا مَغدا

When I saw the litters swaying rhythmically,

I followed them, travelling spaciously.

اَعيَسَ جَوّابَ الضُّحَى سَبَندا

يَدَّرِعُ اللَّيلَ اِذا ما اسوَدّا

I restrain the stallion of dawn when it gallops recklessly,

Clothing the night whenever it turns black.

اضخَمَ شَىءٍ مَنكِباً وَعَضدا

تَراه تَحتَ الرَّحلِ عَبلاً نَهدا

The largest thing with shoulder and arm,

You see it beneath the saddle a smooth dune.

مُرتَفِعاً كاهِلُهُ عَلَندا

وَفى الزِّمامِ عُنُقاً قُمُدّا

Its withers raised like a hillock,

Its neck arched in the halter.

تَسمَعُ لِلرِّيح اِذا اصمَعَدّا

بَينَ الخُطَى مشنهُ ما ارقَدّا

You hear the wind when it whistles shrilly,

Between the footsteps, making it snore whenever it sleeps.

اِذا تَمِيم حَشَدَت لِي حَشدا

كَزاخِرِ البَحرِ اِذا ما مَدّا

When the tribe amasses around me in throngs

Like the abundant flow of sea whenever it surges.

لَم يَرزَء الاَعداءُ مِنِّى زَندا

عَلَى عَناجِيجِ الخُيُولِ جُردا

The enemies did not slight me out of cowardice

When the steeds' saddle-cloths were uncovered.

مُلبَسَةً سَبائِباً وَلِبدا

تَحتَ ظِلالِ رايَةٍ وَبَندا

Wearing sword-belts and war-cloaks

Beneath the shadows of banners and standards.