Ode VIII: Sumayyah has risen early in the

Sumayyah has risen early in the morning : seize thou then the moment to win somewhat of her ; she is gone forth at dawn as one goes who means parting, and stays no more.

Then mine eye gat refreshment for the road, on the morning that I met her in the sand-skirt of al-Bunainah, in a gaze that could not tear itself away.

And she turned her face a little, so that she took thee captive with a white smooth neck, shining like the outstretched throat of a long-necked gazelle,

And with the eyes of one whose pupils are deepest black — thou wouldst think her gaze heavy with slumber — one fair in the place where the tears flow down.

And when she bandies speech with thee, thou seest that she has a lovely smile, and lips most sweet to kiss,

[As though one drank] of fresh-fallen rain from a night-travelling cloud, caused to rain plentifully by the east wind — rain, turbid at first, sweet as it settles in pools ;

The rushing-down of a scouring rain has wrought havoc in the hollows of the land : then, soon after the rain stops, the water thereof becomes clear ;

The runnels play with it, and in the morning the water spreads through the growth, dividing itself among the roots of the lush greenery.

O Sumayyah, mercy on thee ! hast thou ever heard of a deed of treachery told of us, whereby the warning flag has been raised against us in any assembly ?

Self-respecting are we, and never give our confederate cause to fear us ; and we hold ourselves back from greed when other men yield to it ;

And we shield our honours by spending the most precious of our possessions ; and in battle we leave our spears sticking in those we pierce, as we shout our name and lineage ;

And we wade through all the depths of a day of bitter bloodshed which destroys men round us, the booty whereof falls to the most valiant ;

And we set up our tents in the place where honour calls, and stay there steadfast, while other men travel away to richer pasture :

The place of glory — those to whom it belongs do not drive their camels to feed abroad, on the day that they have to hold it and pitch tent therein.

[In the way of the dreaded breach — its folk send forth no beasts to pasture : a terror it is to men — they point with the finger to that which lies opposite to it.]

Then, Sumayyah, how shalt thou know how many a band of young bloods I have delighted in the morning with a black wine-skin full to the spout—

Youths whose eyes were bloodshot after the dawn-draught, in a place where they saw and heard life to their hearts' desire ?

They repaired to me early as the day broke forth, and I gave them to drink of old wine like the blood of a gazelle in colour, tempered with water,

While they lay outstretched by the wine-booth, as though they were weeping round a corpse not yet carried away to burial.

And oft-times have I hastened the cooking of the half-done meat, under which the cauldrons bubble, for a party of hungry folk ;

And there at my door is a shock-headed starveling : stretching forth his right hand he swears — ' Thou hast cooked it well !' — he cannot wait till it be done.

And oft-times have I pushed on their way men who had no time to sleep, wearied out with travel, with camels lean through constant journeying, limping with sore limbs :

Travel has spent all the fat in their bodies : thou wouldst think them beasts sick with raging thirst, with the veins of their fore-legs cut to let blood.

They journey on through the flat wide deserts with the saddles, each one carrying on his way a brave warrior in a tattered shirt.

And oft have I loaded on one camel the saddle of another, lean and worn-out, which is kept up from constant stumbling by the cry ' da'da' ! '

When her pads touch the stones, she shrinks with pain ; yet if she is pushed on by my cry, she rises to better speed.

And many the inhospitable resting-place, not one to halt in long, have I stayed in for the waning of the night — a spot meet for evil hap, an uneasy place for rest ;

I lay down there to sleep in the latter night, my pillow an arm stout of muscle, with veins not over-full of blood ;

When I raised my head from it, it was red and powerless : it seemed as if it were separate from my body, though it had not been severed ;

And thou mightest see, where my camel's folded limbs and breast pressed upon the sand, small hollows like the nests of sand-grouse — there did she sleep.

And the gear of a swift she-camel that trots with a rider who goes straight to his end, whether travelling with a company or alone