1. كما انصَلَتَتْ كَدْراءُ تسقِي فِراخَها

    بشَمظةَ رِفْهاً والمياهُ شُعُوبُ

    As a dusky sandgrouse darted off to water her chicks,

    At Shamẓah, daily, while the waters lay far apart.

  2. غَدَتْ لَمْ تُباعدْ في السماءِ ودونَها

    إذا ما عَلَتْ أُهْوِيَّةٌ وصَبُوبُ

    She set out at dawn, not soaring far into the sky; beneath her,

    Whenever she rose, lay hollows and steep descents.

  3. قرينةُ سَبْعٍ إنْ تَواترنَ مَرَّةً

    ضَرَبْنَ فصَفَّتْ أرءس وجُنوبُ

    Companion to seven, if once they followed one another,

    They beat their wings, and heads and flanks lined up.

  4. فجاءَتْ وما جاءَ القطا ثمَّ قَلَّصتْ

    بمَفْحَصِها والوارداتُ تَنوبُ

    She arrived before the sandgrouse, then drew herself in

    At her nesting hollow, while those coming to water took turns.

  5. وجاءت ومَسْقاها الذي وردتْ بِهِ

    إلى الصَّدْرِ مشدودُ العِصامِ كَتِيبُ

    And she came with her water vessel, which she had brought to water,

    Bound to her breast, its fastening strap tight, sewn closed.

  6. تُبادر أطفالاً مساكينَ دونها

    فَلاً لا تَخّطاهُ العيونُ رَغِيبُ

    She hastens toward helpless little ones; between her and them lies

    A vast wilderness no eyes can span.

  7. وصَفْنَ لَها مُزْناً بأرض تَنُوفةٍ

    فما هي إلاّ نَهْلَةٌ وتؤوبُ

    They described to her rainclouds in a desolate land:

    One draught is all, and she returns.