وَشَعبٍ كَشَلِّ الثَوبِ شَكسٍ طَريقُهُ

مَجامِعُ صوحَيهِ نِطافٌ مَخاصِرُ

A land whose road is twisted like torn cloth,

Its valley joints are covered with fine sand.

تَعَسَّفتُهُ بِاللَيلِ لَم يَهدِني لَهُ

دَليلٌ وَلَم يُحسِن لِيَ النَعتَ خابِرُ

I tried to find it at night but no guide led me there,

No informer was good at describing it.

لَدُن مَطلَعِ الشِعرى قَليلٍ أَنيسُهُ

كَأَنَّ الطَخا في جانِبَيهِ مَعاجِرُ

Near the rise of Sirius it has some comfort,

As if its mountainsides have built nests.

بِهِ مِن نَجاءِ الدَلوِ بيضٌ أَقَرَّها

جُبارٌ لِصُمِّ الصَخرِ فيهِ قَراقِرُ

In it are white water skins hardened

By a giant for the deaf rock therein are pegs.

وَمَرِّرنَ حَتّى كُنَّ لِلماءِ مُنتَهاً

وَغادَرَهُنَّ السَيلُ فيما يُغادِرُ

And we passed till the water was ended

And the torrent had left what it would leave.

بِهِ نُطَفٌ زُرقٌ قَليلٌ تُرابُها

جَلا الماءُ عَن أَرجائِها فَهوَ حائِرُ

In it are blue pools, little dirt,

The water had uncovered its sides, so it wanders astray.

بِهِ سَمَلاتٌ مِن مِياهٍ قَديمَةٍ

مَوارِدُها ما إِن لَهُنَّ مَصادِرُ

In it are paths from ancient waters

With sources they no longer have springs.