لَعَمرُكَ لا يُفارِقُ ما أَقامَت

فُقَيماً لُؤمُها أُخرى اللَيالي

By your life! They will not abandon what they erected

As long as the nights continue to bring gloom.

وَلَيسَ بِزائِلٍ عَنهُم لِحينٍ

وَلَو زالَت ذُرى صُمُّ الجِبالِ

They will not depart from here for a while,

Even if the mountain peaks should crumble.

وَأَنكَرَهُم فَتينُ الماءِ لَمّا

رَآهُم يَمرُسونَ عَلى المَحالِ

The youths of the water denied knowing them

When they saw them treading the barren land,

وَأَقداماً لَهُم جُرداً قِصاراً

قَليلاً أَخذُهُنَّ مِنَ النِعالِ

With bare short legs

That sandals scarcely clothe.