يَا رُبَّ نَهْرٍ مُدْفَإٍ مَلْآنِ

جَمِّ المُدُودِ مُعْمَرِ المَغَانِي

O Lord of a flooding river, abundant

Gatherer of outstretched hands, enricher of songs,

الدُّحْرُ والشُّبُوطُ والبَنَانُ

كَالطَّلْعِ مَجْنِيَّاً مِنَ الجِنَانِ

The ridges, the flatlands, and the hillsides

Are like plucked fruits from the gardens,

أَوْ كَقُدُودِ أَذْرُعِ الغَوَانِي

مَكْسُوَةٍ مِنْ صَنْعَةِ الرَّحْمَنِ

Or like the forearms of beautiful maidens

Dressed in the workmanship of the Merciful.

كَأَنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ مِنْ عِقْيَانِ

أَوْ يَتَطَرَّفْنَ بِأُرْجُوَانِ

It's as though they look out from behind veils,

Or they flutter with purple tassels.

بَاكَرْتُهُ مَعْ بَاكِرِ الغِرْبَانِ

فِي فِتْيَةٍ أَفَاضِلٍ أَقْرَانِ

I met them at dawn with the early crows

Among noble and peerless youths.

يُعْنَوْنَ بِالدِّيْوَانِ وَالمَيْدَانِ

وَلاَ يَعِفُّونَ عَنِ القِيَانِ

They are known for their grace and valor,

And do not refrain from battle,

بِمِثْلِ أَحْدَاقٍ بِلاَ أَجْفَانِ

كَأَنَّهَا جِلْدَةُ أُفْعُوَانِ

With eyes like those with no eyelids,

As though they were the skin of snakes

تُزْعِجُ بِالأَطْمَاعِ وَالحِرْمَانِ

أَجْرَى عَلَى مَايِرِهَا الغَرْثَانِ

Troubling with greed and deprivation.

The downpours streamed over their pasturelands

مِنَ الضَّوَارِي الغُضُفُ الآذَانِ

وَكَاسِرِ البُزَاةِ والعِقْبَانِ

With roaring clouds and thunder,

And the breaker of tyrants and eagles.