أَنَخنا بِبَيتِ الزِبرِقانِ وَلَيتَنا

مَضَينَ فَقِلنا وَسطَ بَيتِ المُخَبَّلِ

We stopped at the house of Al-Zubairqan while we were in movement

We stayed for a while in the midst of the perfumed house

ظَلِلنا لَدَيهِ نَستَقي بِحَبالِنا

بِذي المَتنِ مِنها وَالضَعيفِ المُوَصَّلِ

We sought shade near it and drew water with our water-skin ropes

From its plentiful and weak interconnected water supply

وَما الزِبرِقانُ يَومَ يَحرِمُ ضَيفَهُ

بِمُحتَسَبِ التَقوى وَلا مُتَوَكِّلِ

Al-Zubairqan does not refuse his guest on the day

Of the God-fearing ascetic or the trusting worshipper

وَلا عالِمٍ ما في غَدٍ غَيرَ أَنَّهُ

يُرَفِّعُ أَعضادَ الحِياضِ بِمِعوَلِ

Nor the knowledgeable man, for none but He knows what tomorrow holds

Except that he will raise up the ridges of the pond with his pick

مُقيمٌ عَلى بُنيانَ يَمنَعُ مائَهُ

وَماءُ وَسيعٍ ماءُ عَطشانَ مُرمِلِ

Firmly established upon a building, preventing its water

Plentiful water - the water of a thirsty, diseased woman

وَظَلَّ يُناجي أُمَّ شَذرَةَ قاعِداً

كَأَنَّ عَلى شُرسوفِها كُرزَ حَنظَلِ

He remained conversing with Umm Shathara sitting

As if bitter colocynth were upon her window sill

فَأَنتَ الفِداءُ لِاِبنِ هَوذَةَ إِنَّهُ

قَرانا فَلَم يَبخَل وَلَم يَتَعَلَّلِ

You are the redemption for Ibn Hawdha's son, for he

Hosted us without stinginess or making excuses

ظَلِلنا لَدَيهِ في شِواءٍ وَنِعمَةٍ

وَظَلَّت رِكابِي في سَرِيٍّ وَجَدوَلِ

We took shade near him during torrid heat and abundance

While my feet remained in a meadow and a stream