Ode XIV: How many a man of evil

How many a man of evil nature dost thou see, who sticks fast to his troop of camels, red and black !

He is niggardly with the due he should pay from them, and reaps blame therefrom : and yet he must fain leave them to others [when he dies].

And sooth, if thou seest camels in the hands of others, while of us thou seest not one milch-camel —

Lo, we have in place of them fenced orchards of palm-trees, flourishing, the gift of God the Lord of all creatures.

They seek the great store of water below with their roots, so that they drink of its plenty till they are satisfied.

They vie in tallness with the two precipitous sides of Ushayy which face them : they bear abundantly, and care not at all for years of drought.

Their topmost heads of foliage waving in every wind are like girls that pull at one another's hair.

They are pets of Fortune, and have no fear of drought : when a troop of grazing camels dies of starvation, they endure unscathed.

When the years are deadly with drought and famine, they shoot higher, and become not lean under stress of rainless days.

The daughters of their daughters, while the daughters of others are gasping with thirst, are never thirsty, but always fully satisfied with their drinking.

The guest travels, then halts under them in a halting-place of honour, until the time comes for him to go his way.

This, then, is our wealth, and the reward of it remains to us : so remit somewhat of thy blame of us, O Lady !