أَلِمّا عَلى رَبعٍ بِذاتِ المَزاهِرِ

مُقيمٍ كَأَخلاقِ العَباءَةِ داثِرِ

When at a meadow of blossoms I did stay

The zephyr's breath played round me all the day

تُراوِحُهُ الأَرواحُ قَد سارَ أَهلُهُ

وَما هُوَ عَن حَيِّ القَنانِ بِسائِرِ

Though friends had left, no longer here to roam

I dwelt not far from the high road of Qanan.

وَنارٍ قُبَيلَ الصُبحِ بادَرتُ قَدحَها

حَيا النارِ قَد أَوقَدتُها لِمُسافِرِ

And ere morn's white the dusk fire I would wake

The traveller's wants the flamingbrands bespake.

فَلَوَّحَ فيها زادَهُ وَرَبَأتُهُ

عَلى مَرقَبٍ يَعلو الأَحِزَّةَ قاهِرِ

I waved the food, and for his couch out-spread

Raiment where high the camel litters tread.

وَلَمّا أَجَنَّ اللَيلُ نَقباً وَلَم أَخَف

عَلى أَثَرٍ مِنّي وَلا عَينَ ناظِرِ

When night's long shadows fell, and not a sprite

Nor spirit roamed, nor any eye could sight,

أَخَذتُ سِلاحي وَإِنحَدَرتُ إِلى اِمرِئٍ

قَليلٍ أَذاهُ صَدرُهُ غَيرُ واغِرِ

I grasped my arms, and to a man there hied

With breast that mocked the temper of my blade.

فَطِرتُ بِرَحلي وَاِستَبَدَّ بِمِثلِهِ

عَلى ذاتِ لَوثٍ كَالبَلِيَّةِ ضامِرِ

Then with my baggage fled, while his I bore,

A filthy wretch, whom kites on carrion store.

تُعادي مَشَكَّ الرَحلِ عَنها وَتَتَّقي

بِمِثلِ صَفيحِ الجَدوَلِ المُتَظاهِرِ

The saddle-bags from me the pick-axe keeps,

Like cliffs surrounding some deep valley's steeps.

فَأَصبَحُ مُمسانا كَأَنَّ جِبالَهُ

مِنَ البُعدِ أَعناقُ النِساءِ الحَواسِرِ

Morn found me with them, mountains looming round

Whose heads peer from afar above the ground.