1. أَبلِغِ الحارِثَ بنِ عَمروٍ بِأَنّي

    حافِظُ الوُدِّ مُرصِدٌ لِلصَوابِ

    Tell al-Harith ibn Amr that I

    remain true to friendship, ready for what is right;

  2. وَمُجيبٌ دُعائَهُ إِن دَعاني

    عَجِلاً واحِداً وَذا أَصحابِ

    and answer his summons if he calls me,

    swiftly, whether alone or with companions.

  3. إِنَّما بَينَنا وَبَينَكَ فَاِعلَم

    سَيرُ تِسعٍ لِلعاجِلِ المُنتابِ

    Know that between us and you lies only

    a journey of nine nights for a visitor in haste.

  4. فَثَلاثٌ مِنَ السَراةِ إِلى الحُل

    بُطِ لِلخَيلِ جاهِداً وَالرِكابِ

    Three, then, from al-Sarat to al-Hul-

    but, for horses and riding camels pressed hard;

  5. وَثَلاثٌ يُرِدنَ تَيماءَ رَهواً

    وَثَلاثٌ يُغرَرنَ بِالإِعجابِ

    and three, heading for Tayma at an easy pace,

    and three, beguiled by admiration.

  6. فَإِذا ما مَرَرتَ في مُسبَطِرٍّ

    فَاِجمَحِ الخَيلَ مِثلَ جَمحِ الكِعابِ

    Then, when you pass through an open plain,

    let the horses bound like bouncing dice.

  7. بَينَما ذاكَ أَصبَحَت وَهيَ عَضدي

    مِن سُبيٍّ مَجموعَةٍ وَنِهابِ

    Meanwhile, at dawn they are my mainstay,

    drawn from gathered captives and plunder.

  8. لَيتَ شِعري مَتى أَرى قُبَّةً

    ذاتَ قِلاعٍ لِلحارِثِ الحَرّابِ

    Would that I knew when I shall see a pavilion

    with canvas hangings, belonging to al-Harith the warrior,

  9. بِيَفاعٍ وَذاكَ مِنها مَحَلٌّ

    فَوقَ مَلكٍ يَدينَ بِالأَحسابِ

    on high ground—and that is its place—

    above a king devoted to ancestral honor.

  10. أَيُّها الموعِدي فَإِنَّ لَبوني

    بَينَ حَقلٍ وَبَينَ هَضبٍ ذُبابِ

    O you who threaten me, my milk-giving camels are indeed

    between Haql and the hills of Dhubab,

  11. حَيثُ لا أَرهَبُ الخُزاةَ وَحَولي

    ثُعَلِيّونَ كَاللُيوثِ الغِضابِ

    where I fear no oppressors, and around me are

    men of Thu'al, like enraged lions.