أَلا زَعَمَت عِرسي سُوَيدَةُ أَنَّها
سَريعٌ عَلَيها حِفظَتي لِلمُعاتِبِ
Alas! My sweetheart claimed that my memory of reproaches was quick for her
And she wished, O black beauty, that she were in your place while people were suffering tribulations
وَمُكثِرَةٍ يا سَودَ وَدَّت لَوَ أَنَّها
مَكانَكِ وَالأَقوامُ عِندَ الضَرايِبِ
If my sweetheart asked about me, she would be told
When the tribe's food was scarce, the camels unfed
وَلَو سَأَلَت عَنّي سُوَيدَةُ أُنبِئَت
إِذا كانَ زادُ القَومِ عَقرَ الرَكايِبِ
By my striking with my sword every fattened camel
And unloading my belongings walking without riding
بِضَربي بِسَيفي ساقَ كُلُّ سَمينَةٍ
وَتَعليقِ رَحلي ماشِياً غَيرَ راكِبِ
Were it not for those I love making it clear to her
She would have denied my stubbornness and distance
وَلَولا أُبَينوها الَّذينَ أُحِبُّهُم
لَقَد أَنكَرَت مِنّي عُنودَ الجَنائِبِ
But they are the delight of my heart and mercy
That the Lord of destinies has granted from Him
وَلَكِنَّهُم رَيحانُ قَلبي وَرَحمَةً
مِنَ اللَهِ أَعطاها مَليكُ العَواقِبِ
They lead me if death lets me live
And forbid me from every rash transgressor
يَقودونَ بي إِن أَعمَرَتني مَنِيَّةٌ
وَيَنهونَ عَنّي كُلَّ أَهوَجَ شاغِبِ
After God's command they tightened her ropes
And pegs among us with smooth white wood
هُمُ بَعدَ أَمرِ اللَهِ شَدّوا حِبالَها
وَأَوتادَها فينا بِأَبيَضَ ثاقِبِ
We have camels, their foreignness does not deny the rope
Nor the oft-told tales reject the rhythm of poetry
لَنا إِبِلٌ لا تُنكِرُ الحَبلَ عَجمُها
وَلا يُنكِرُ المَأثورُ ضَربَ العَراقِبِ
We fatten the lean hyenas and seek through them
Ascent though they are dim-sighted weaklings
وَقَد نُسمِنُ الشَولَ العِجافَ وَنَبتَغي
بِها في المَعالي وَهيَ حُدبُ الغَوارِبِ
We came out with them from abundant meadows as though
When the herder barred them, rods of withies
خَرَجنا بِها مِن ذي أُراطى كَأَنَّها
إِذا صَدَّها الراعي عِصِيُّ المَشاجِبِ
A drought Allah has made rainless
And expanded beyond any vast plain or mountain
جُفافٌ أَجَفَّ اللَهُ عَنهُ سَحابَهُ
وَأَوسَعَهُ مِن كُلِّ سافٍ وَحاصِبِ
So it was not wrong that it gave no light, and left behind
When barrenness arrived, the sword of the victor
فَما ظَلَمَت أَن لا تَنورَ وَخَلفَها
إِذا الجَدبُ أَلقى رَحلَهُ سَيفُ غالِبِ
The two mixtures in it destroyed its wantonness
With sweat of exertion and slaying of victims
خَليطانِ فيها قَد أَبادا سَراتَها
بِعَرقِ المَناقي وَاِجتِلاحِ الغَرائِبِ
Even if it were the date palms of the lowlands and the like
Along its edges from side to side
وَلَو أَنَّها نَخلُ السَوادِ وَمِثلُهُ
بِحافاتِها مِن جانِبٍ بَعدَ جانِبِ
Even if it remained for the survivors, it would be forced
To a man among them of workmanship and gain
وَلَو أَنَّها تَبقى لِباقٍ لَأُلجِئَت
إِلى رَجُلٍ فيها صَنيعٍ وَكاسِبِ
