1. يا دِيارَ الكَواعِبِ

    بَينَ صَنعا فَمارِبِ

    O dwellings of budding-breasted maidens,

    between Sana'a and Ma'rib!

  2. جادَكِ السَعدُ غُدوَةً

    وَالثُرَيّا بِصائِبِ

    May Saʿd drench you at dawn,

    and the Pleiades, with pouring rain

  3. مِن هَزيمٍ كَأَنَّما

    يَرتَمي بِالقَواضِبِ

    from a thundering cloud, as though

    it were hurling keen-edged swords,

  4. في اِصطِفاقٍ وَرَنَّةٍ

    وَاِعتِراكِ المَواكِبِ

    amid clashing and ringing

    and the mêlée of cavalcades.

  5. دارُ مَن زانَهُ السُمو

    طُ مَعاً بِالتَرائِبِ

    Home of one whom necklaces adorned,

    together upon the breast—

  6. جيدُ رِئمٍ مُكَحَّلٍ

    يَرتَعي بِالذَنائِبِ

    the neck of a kohl-eyed white gazelle

    grazing at al-Dhanāʾib—

  7. غائِبٌ عَنكَ وُدُّهُ

    شاهِدٌ مِثلُ غائِبِ

    whose affection is absent from you,

    present, yet like one absent.

  8. رُبَّ بيدٍ وَدونَها

    ناضِبٌ أَو كَناضِبِ

    Many a desert, lying beyond

    Nāḍib or its like,

  9. وَذُرى قُفِّ سَبسَبٍ

    لاحِقٍ بِالسَباسِبِ

    and the heights of a broad, rocky plateau,

    joining the desert plains,

  10. قَد تَجَشَّمتُ نَحوَكُم

    بِعِتاقِ النَجائِبِ

    have I braved on my way toward you,

    on fine-bred riding camels.

  11. ما مَعي غَيرُ صارِمٍ

    لِيَ وَاللَهُ صاحِبي

    I have nothing but a keen-edged sword

    of my own; and God is my companion.