إِذا ما بِتَّ بِالرَبَعِيَّ لَيلاً

فَأَرَّقَ مُقلَتَيكَ عَنِ الرُقادِ

When the night found me stopping at a camp

And sleep was denied by cares,

نَزَلتَ فَكانَ حَظُّكَ مِن قِراهُم

طُروقاً إِن نَزَلتَ بِغَيرِ زادِ

I came down hoping for shelter from its people,

With nothing to sustain me but my sword and courage.

يَظَلُّ يُعارِضُ الرَبَعَيَّ خَطٌّ

بِنَعلِ السَيفِ مِن قِصَرَ النِجادِ

There I faced a line of naked swords,

Drawn in the sand as protection against raiders.