Ode CVIII: When we drew near to the

When we drew near to the leather tents and their folk, there was ordained to us a wolf, crafty and dangerous when night comes on :

Bakr were ordained to us, and under their banner were troops of horse which the strong, glorying in his strength, would look upon well pleased ;

And Quraish too came, assembling together in their host : of old time were they known to have a Helper !

And Quraish, if we should gain the victory over them, would be a medicine for that which was in our breasts — a hatred that was plain to see.

Bakr approached in their defence, and we were not able to lay hold of them ; they played with their swords as though they were a party [of boys] at play at night [with the knotted kerchiefs].

And Bakr did not cease to swarm and shout battle-cries, and the first and the last of them pressed on together,

From morning until night came on, when the cloud cleared away of a day whose evil was manifold, layer upon layer ;

And this manner of things continued until Hawazin withdrew from the fight in flight, and Sulaim and 'Amir were scattered hither and thither ;

And Quraish were as though their keenness would split a rock, when stumbling fortunes sap the strength of other men.