1. رَقَصوا فَقامَ الحَربُ وَاِشتَبَكَ القَنا

    مِن كُلِّ قَدٍّ كَالقَضيبِ إِذا اِنثَنى

    They danced; war broke out, and the spears clashed,

    From every figure like a branch when it bends.

  2. وَنَضَوا مِنَ السودِ المِراضِ صَوارِماً

    بيضاً فَلَم نَعلَم عَلَينا أَم لَنا

    And from dark, languid eyes they unsheathed keen swords,

    White; we knew not whether they were against us or for us.

  3. هَزّوا الغُصونَ وَكَلَّفوا أَعطافَهُم

    حَملَ الجِبالِ فَكانَ ظُلماً بَيِّنا

    They shook the branches and burdened their flanks

    With bearing mountains—a manifest injustice—

  4. مِن كُلِّ رِدفٍ كَالكَثيبِ مُجاذِبٍ

    قَدّاً أَغَضَّ مِنَ القَضيبِ وَأَليَنا

    From every dune-like rump tugging against

    A figure more tender than a branch, and more supple.

  5. صَدّوا وَرَدّوا سافِرينَ وُجوهَهُم

    نَحوي فَشاهَدتُ المَنِيَّةَ وَالمُنى

    They turned away, then turned their unveiled faces

    Toward me, so I beheld death and desire.

  6. ضَمِنوا قِرى أَسماعِنا وَعُيونِنا

    لِلعَينِ رَقصُهُمُ وَلِلسَمعِ الغِنا

    They promised a feast for our ears and eyes:

    For the eye, their dancing; for the ear, their singing.