1. قَد أَغتَدي وَالصُبحُ كَالمَشيبِ

    بِقارِحٍ مُسَوَّمٍ يَعبوبِ

    Sometimes I set out early, dawn like gray hair,

    On a full-grown, marked, swift-running horse,

  2. ذي أُذُنٍ كَخَوصَةِ العَسيبِ

    أَو آسَةٍ أَوفَت عَلى قَضيبِ

    With an ear like a palm-frond leaflet,

    Or a myrtle sprig rising high upon a stem;

  3. وَحافِرٍ كَقَدَحٍ مَكبوبِ

    أَكحَلَ مِثلَ القَدَحِ المَكتوبِ

    And a hoof like an overturned cup,

    Kohl-black, like an inscribed cup.

  4. يَسبُقُ شَأوَ النَظَرِ الرَحيبِ

    أَسرَعُ مِن ماءٍ إِلى تَصويبِ

    It outruns the reach of the far-ranging gaze,

    Swifter than water on a downward course,

  5. وَمِن نُفوذِ الفِكرِ في القُلوبِ

    وَمِن رُجوعِ لَحظَةِ المُريبِ

    And than thought's passage into hearts,

    And than a suspect's returning glance.

  6. نارُ لَظىً باقِيَةُ اللَهيبِ

    وَأَجدَلٌ لِلحُكمِ بِالتَأديبِ

    A blazing fire whose flame endures.

    And a falcon, judging through chastisement,

  7. صَبَّ بِكَفِّ كُلِّ مُستَجيبٍ

    سَوطَ عَذابٍ واقِعٍ مَجلوبِ

    Poured down, through each obedient hand,

    A scourge of torment, descending and brought to bear.

  8. أَسرَعُ مِن لَحظَةِ مُستَريبِ

    يَرى بَعيدَ الشَيءِ كَالقَريبِ

    Swifter than a wary man's glance,

    It sees a distant thing as though it were near;

  9. يَهوي هَوِيَّ الماءِ في القَليبِ

    بِناظِرٍ مُستَعجِمٍ مَقلوبِ

    It plunges as water plunges into a well,

    With an inscrutable, upturned eye,

  10. كَناظِرِ الأَفيلِ ذي التَقطيبِ

    رَأى خَيالاً في ثَرىً رَطيبِ

    Like the eye of a scowling young camel.

    It saw a shape on moist earth,

  11. فَطارَ كَالمُستَوهِلِ المَرعوبِ

    مُتَّبِعاً لِطَمَعٍ قَريبِ

    Then flew like one startled and terrified,

    Pursuing a coveted prize close at hand.

  12. ما طارَ إِلّا لِدَمٍ مَصبوبِ

    يَنفُذُ في الشَمالِ وَالجَنوبِ

    It flew only for blood poured out,

    It cuts through the north and south winds.