لَمّا رَأى أَنَّ أَريافَ القُرى مُنِعَت

وَحارَدَ الكَيلُ إِلّا كَيلَ مَحلوبِ

When he saw that the outskirts of villages were forbidden

And only deceitful measures were allowed

سَدَّ الفِناءَ بِمِصباحٍ مُجالِحَةٍ

شَيحانَةٍ خُلِقَت خَلقَ المَصاعيبِ

He closed the courtyard with a battle-ready lamp

Of a resolute she-camel, made for adversity

كَوماءَ دَهماءَ لا يَجذو القُرادُ بِها

ثَقيلَةِ الوَطءِ لا رَذلٍ وَلا نيبِ

Like an unassailable darkness that no mosquitoes pierce

Heavy-stepped, with no weakness or flaw

مِن آمِنِ المالِ أَبقاها لَدى شَبَثٍ

جَرُّ الكُماةِ بِرَأسٍ أَو بِتَلبيبِ

Those who secured wealth kept it with a miser

Whose neck or garment-hem guests must grab

وَحَثُّهُ الرَكضَ وَالسِربالُ سابِغَةٌ

إِلى نِداءٍ بِظَهرِ الغَيبِ تَثويبِ

And drove it to run, with its saddle-cloth trailing

Toward a call from beyond perception's range