1. فَإِن يَكُ رَأسي كَالثَغامَةِ نَسلُهُ

    يُطيفُ بِيَ الوِلدانُ أَحدَبَ كَالقِردِ

    If, then, my head's hair is like the white thaghama plant,

    With children circling me, a hunchback like an ape,

  2. رَهينَةَ قَعرِ البَيتِ كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ

    كَأَنّي أُراوى أَن أُصَوَّبَ في مَهدِ

    A captive in the depths of the house every evening,

    As though being coaxed to be lowered into a cradle,

  3. فَمِن بَعدِ فَضلٍ في شَبابٍ وَقُوَّةٍ

    وَرَأسٍ أَثيثٍ حالِكِ اللَونِ مُسوَدِّ

    It is after distinction in youth and strength,

    And a thick-haired head, dark in hue and jet-black.

  4. فَقَد أَبعَثُ الوَجناءَ يَدمى أَظَلُّها

    عَلى ظَهرِ سَبسابٍ كَحاشِيَةِ البُردِ

    For I have driven the stout-cheeked she-camel, her footpad bleeding,

    Across the surface of a level waste, like a cloak's border.

  5. فَأَورَدتُها ماءً قَليلاً أَنيسُهُ

    حَديثاً بِعَهدِ الناسِ أَو غَيرَ ذي عَهدِ

    I brought her to a watering place with few visitors,

    Recently acquainted with people, or having no acquaintance at all.

  6. فَأَعكِسُها في جُمَّةٍ وَنَصَأتُها

    فَآنَستُ ما أَبغي وَأَتعَبتُها تَردي

    I held her back in a deep pool, then drove her onward;

    Then I sighted what I sought and wearied her at a run,

  7. إِلى عَلَمٍ ناءٍ كَأَنَّ مَسافَهُ

    مُخَلَّلُ كِتّانٍ مِنَ النَأيِ وَالبُعدِ

    Toward a distant landmark, whose outline seemed

    A pin for working flax, so remote and far away.

  8. وَخَيلٍ كَأَسرابِ القَطا قَد وَزَعتُها

    عَلى هَيكَلٍ نَهدِ الجُزارَةِ مُرمَدِّ

    And horses like flocks of sandgrouse I have held in check,

    On a great-framed steed, stout in head and limbs, ash-gray.

  9. سَوابِقُها يَخرُجنَ مِن مُتَنَصَّفٍ

    خُروجَ القَواري الخُضرِ مِن سَبَلِ الرَعدِ

    Their frontrunners emerge from the midst,

    As green qawari birds emerge from thunder's rain-curtains.

  10. وَغَيثٍ مِنَ الوَسمِيِّ حُوٍّ تِلاعُهُ

    عَلَتهُ جُمادى بِالبَوارِقِ وَالرَعدِ

    And a pasture fed by autumn rains, its gullies dark green,

    Jumada overspread it with lightning and thunder.

  11. تَبَطَّنتُهُ تَعدو بِبِزِّيَ نَهدَةٌ

    جُلالَةُ ما بَينَ الشَراسيفِ وَاللُبدِ

    I traversed its heart, a sturdy mare running with my war-gear,

    Massive between her rib-tips and saddle-felts.

  12. وَتَخطو عَلى صُمٍّ كَأَنَّ نُسورَها

    نَوى القَسبِ يُستَوقَدنَ في الظَرِبِ الصِلدِ

    And she strides on solid hooves, whose frogs seem

    Dry date-stones, striking sparks on the hard, rocky knoll.

  13. لَها حُضُرٌ كَيفَ الحَريقُ وَعَقبُها

    كَجَمِّ الخَسيفِ بَعدَ مَعمَعَةِ الوَردِ

    She has a gallop—how like a blaze!—and her second wind

    Is like a deep well's gathering waters after the watering-throng's tumult.

  14. قَليلَ البَتاتِ غَيرَ قَوسٍ وَأَسهُمٍ

    وَأَبيَضَ قَصّالِ الضَريبَةِ مُحتَدِّ

    With little travelling gear, save a bow and arrows,

    And a bright sword, cleaving its target, keen-edged,

  15. وَأَسمَرَ مَربوعٍ مِتَلٍّ كُعوبُهُ

    تُصَرِّفُ فيهِ لَهذَماً وادِقَ الحَدِّ

    And a brown, mid-length, stout spear, whose joints

    Swing its broad spearhead with a penetrating edge.