1. عَرفتُ بِعالجِ فَبِبطن قَوٍ

    رُسوماً مِثلَ أسطارِ الكتابِ

    At ‘Alij, then in the valley of Qaww, I recognized

    traces like the lines of a book,

  2. فَبُرقة عاقلٍ أقوَت سنيناً

    فما بينَ الحنِادجِ فالهضابِ

    then at Burqat ‘Aqil, deserted for years,

    and in the land between al-Hanadij and the hills—

  3. لِخولَة وهي بَهكنةٌ شموعٌ

    يُؤوِّدُ غُصنَها خمرُ الشبابِ

    belonging to Khawla, a soft, full-bodied, playful beauty,

    whose bough the wine of youth bends.

  4. كانَّ رُضابها من بنت كَرم

    سُلافٌ زُوّجت بابن السَّحابِ

    As though her saliva were from the daughter of the vine—

    pure wine wedded to the son of the clouds.

  5. مُهَفْهفة القَواَم لها ابْتسام

    كإيماضِ البُروقِ من الرَّبابِ

    Slender of figure, she has a smile

    like flashes of lightning from white clouds.

  6. إذا وَلّتْ رأيت لها ارِتجاجاً

    كما يرتجٌ مُلتطمْ العُبابِ

    When she turns away, you see her quivering,

    as the crashing surge of the sea heaves.

  7. فَدعْ مالا انتفاعَ بِه لصَبٍّ

    يُغرَّر في إدّكارٍ وانتِحَابِ

    So leave what brings a lovesick man no benefit,

    who is led astray in recollection and sobbing.

  8. وقُلْ يا رُبَّ خاويةٍ نَآةٍ

    كَظهرِ الترس تَشرَقُ بالسَّرابِ

    And say: ah, how many a desolate, distant waste,

    like a shield's back, shining with mirage,

  9. قطعتُ بأصَهبِ العُثنونِ ناجٍ

    نَجيبٍ من أناعيمٍ نجَابِ

    I crossed on a swift, tawny-bearded camel,

    a noble beast from noble herds of camels.

  10. وماءٍ آِجن الجَمّات طامِ

    تُلفّعِهُ الخَدارِقُ باللُّعاب

    And brimming water, stagnant in its pools,

    which spiders swathe in their spittle,

  11. وَردْتُ وللذئاب عليهِ وَهناً

    بَرازيقٌ تجَاوبُ باصطِخابِ

    I reached late at night, while wolves around it

    in packs answered one another with clamorous howls.

  12. وليلٍ مثلَ لون النيل داج

    لبستُ لنيلِ حاجاتٍ صعَاب

    And many a night, dark as the color of indigo,

    I donned to attain difficult aims.

  13. ويومٍ مثلَ يومِ الحشرِ طُولاً

    طويتُ رِداهُ بالخودِ الكعابِ

    And many a day, long as the Day of Gathering,

    I folded up its cloak with a tender, budding-breasted maiden.

  14. أنا الملكُ الجَليلُ أباً ونفساً

    وليثُ الحرب في يومِ الضرابِ

    I am the king, exalted in parentage and person,

    and the lion of war on the day of combat.

  15. أنا ابن السابقينَ لكلَّ مَجدٍ

    وأربابِ الَمقانبِ والقِبابِ

    I am the son of those foremost in every glory,

    and of the lords of cavalry squadrons and domed tents.

  16. وقَدْ علمتْ مُلوكُ الأرضِ أني

    مَقرُّ الفخرِ والحسَبِ الُّلبابِ

    And the kings of the earth know that I am

    the seat of glory and pure ancestral honor.

  17. وَكمْ أغنْيتُ من عافٍ فقيرٍ

    فأصبحَ ذا جيادٍ مع رِكابِ

    And how many a poor supplicant I have enriched,

    so he became an owner of fine horses and riding camels.

  18. وَكم أخصبتُ من رَبعٍ مَحيلٍ

    فَأمسى وَهو مخضرُّ الجَنابِ

    And how many a barren dwelling-place I have made fertile,

    so that it became green all around.

  19. وَكمْ غادرْتُ من نجد جوادٍ

    طَعاماً للفَراعلِ والذئابِ

    And how many a brave, generous man I have left

    as food for young hyenas and wolves.

  20. وَأوجلتُ القُلوب فليس قلبٌ

    من الأعداء ليس بذي اضطراب

    And I have filled hearts with fear: there is no heart

    among the enemies that is not trembling.

  21. وَيومَ الظَّفر إذ جآءت عُمانٌ

    تعالى فوق سابحةٍ عِراب

    And on the day of victory, when Oman came,

    rising high upon purebred Arabian steeds that swim in their stride—

  22. كتائبُ تُشرقُ الخضراء نفعاً

    وتَترُكُ كلَّ جيشٍ في تبابِ

    battalions that brighten the green sky with benefit,

    and leave every army in ruin—

  23. لقيتُهمُ بعزم غير نابِ

    وَزنْدٍ في الوقَائع غير كاب

    I met them with unfaltering resolve,

    and a fire-stick that never failed to spark in battle,

  24. عَلى ذي مَيعةٍ عَبلٍ جوادٍ

    صَريحيّ الأرومة والنّصِاب

    upon a vigorous, stout-limbed, noble steed,

    pure in ancestry and stock.

  25. وفَي يُمناي أبيضُ مشرفيٌ

    طَليقُ الحدُ ماضِ كالشّهاِب

    And in my right hand, a white Mashrafi sword,

    its edge unleashed, piercing like a meteor.

  26. سَقيْتُهمُ بِه كأسَ المَنايا

    ولَلأشَقِين أجدَرُ بالعِقابِ

    With it I made them drink the cup of death;

    and the most wretched are more deserving of punishment.

  27. وأُبتُ وقَد تَفلَّل شفرتَاهَ

    وَقدْ خضبتْ بنجعِهمُ ثِيابي

    And I returned, its two edges already chipped,

    and my garments already dyed with their gore.

  28. فَهلْ من مُبلِغٍ عني الأعادي

    مَقالاً ليسَ بالأفكِ الكِذاب

    So is there anyone to convey from me to my enemies

    a statement that is no lying fabrication:

  29. بأنّ رِقابُهمْ تهوى حصاداً

    وسيفي فيه حاَجاتُ الرّقاب

    that their necks long to be harvested,

    and my sword has desires for necks?

  30. يمين اللهِ أهجعُ أو أدعْكم

    فريساً للثعِالبِ والذّئابِ

    By God, I shall not sleep until I leave you

    as prey for foxes and wolves.