مَهاريسُ أَشباهٌ كَأَنَّ رُؤوسَها

مَقابِرُ عادٍ جِلَّةُ البَكَراتِ

Their tents are like the graves of 'Aad, abounding,

Seeming as though their summits were landmarks coming into sight.

بِها تُتَّقى الأَضيافُ إِن كانَ صَوبُها

صَقيعاً عَلى الأَكنافِ وَالحَجَراتِ

By means of them hospitality's duties are performed, if

Their sides and walls are frozen stiff.

وَما كانَ مِن أَوطانِها دَحلُ مِحجَنٍ

مَقاماً وَلا قَيقاءَةُ الخَبِراتِ

Not the moved sands amid hollows left by hill-torrents

To stay in forever, nor hillocks blown by the winds.

وَلَن تَحضُرَ الجَرعاءَ تَرعى ثُمامَها

وَلا تَرتَعي بِالدَوِّ مِن خَرِباتِ

Neither will a pasturing herd of calves come to them,

Nor a flock that in ruin feeds on the herb ben weed and thorny plants.

وَلَكِن بِعُثمانِ البَسيطَةِ قَد تَرى

بِها بُدَّناً أَفخاذُها وَفُراتِ

Rather, by Uthman of the Busati tribe you may see

In them excellent camels, their thighs wide apart.

وَقَد كانَ صَحراوا فُلَيجٍ لَها حِمىً

إِذا نَوَّرَ الجَرجارُ بِالكَدَراتِ

A protector once, was he, of unpopulated waterless uplands,

Whenever the rainwater gushed down with violence.

مَناعيشُ لِلمَولى الضَريكِ وَلا تُرى

عَلى الضَيفِ إِلّا باكِرَ الغَدَواتِ

Dwellings for the Lord of bounty they are, and you will see

Upon the guest naught bestowed save what mornings furnish.

إِذا اِغبَرَّ أَهلُ الشاءِ أَشرَقَ أَهلُها

وَكانَ لَها فَضلٌ مِنَ الأَدَواتِ

When the family of a goat fold move camp the folk of the tents shine forth:

For them remains a portion of the household goods.