إِن كُنتِ عَن وَجدِكِ لَم تَقصُري

إِن كُنتِ عَن وَجدِكِ لَم تَقصُري

أَو كُنتِ في الأُسوَةِ لَم تُعذَري

أَو كُنتِ في الأُسوَةِ لَم تُعذَري

If you have not restrained your grief,

If you were not remiss in your love,

or if you have not been excused in seeking solace,

Or if you were blameless in your virtue,

فَإِنَّ في العُقدَةِ مِن يَلبَنٍ

فَإِنَّ في العُقدَةِ مِن يَلبَنٍ

عُبرَ السُرى في القُلُصِ الضُمَّرِ

عُبرَ السُرى في القُلُصِ الضُمَّرِ

then in al-ʿUqdah, in Yalban,

Then indeed in difficulty is sweetness -

is a mount hardy for night travel among the lean young she-camels.

Cross over the plains in your shrouded soul.

وَصاحِبٍ قُلتُ لَهُ خائِفٍ

وَصاحِبٍ قُلتُ لَهُ خائِفٍ

إِنَّكَ لِلخَيلِ بِمُستَنظِرِ

إِنَّكَ لِلخَيلِ بِمُستَنظِرِ

And to a fearful companion I said:

And I said to a companion in fear -

“You are on the lookout for horsemen.

Indeed, you look out for the horses.

إِنَّكَ داعٍ بِكَبيرٍ إِذا

إِنَّكَ داعٍ بِكَبيرٍ إِذا

وافَيتَ أَعلى مَرقَبٍ فَاِنظُرِ

وافَيتَ أَعلى مَرقَبٍ فَاِنظُرِ

You are inviting something grave; when

Indeed you call out when facing

you reach the top of a lookout, look.

The highest outlook - so look!

فَآنِسَن مِن ساعَةٍ فارِساً

فَآنِسَن مِن ساعَةٍ فارِساً

يَخُبُّ أَدنى بُقَعِ المَنظَرِ

يَخُبُّ أَدنى بُقَعِ المَنظَرِ

Then, in a moment, be sure to spot a horseman,

Let us be cheered for an hour by a knight

trotting over the nearest ground in view.

Who makes the lowest places beautiful to behold.

فَأَولِجِ السَوطَ عَلى حَوشَبٍ

فَأَولِجِ السَوطَ عَلى حَوشَبٍ

أَجرَدَ مِثلِ الصَدَعِ الأَعفَرِ

أَجرَدَ مِثلِ الصَدَعِ الأَعفَرِ

Then ply the whip on Hawshab,

So drive the whip against the lively one

sleek as a tawny young ibex.

Bare as the crack in a yellow rock,

تُنبِطُهُ الساقُ بِشَدٍّ كَما

تُنبِطُهُ الساقُ بِشَدٍّ كَما

مالَ هَجيرُ الرَجُلِ الأَعسَرِ

مالَ هَجيرُ الرَجُلِ الأَعسَرِ

The leg draws out his gallop, just as

His foreleg beating strongly as

a left-handed man's axe swings.”

The lame man’s staff leans to the left.