Page:The L-poem of the Arabs.djvu/25

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22 (25–25).

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And I twist my intestines about my inanition, as the yarns of a spinner are twisted when spun and laid.

23 (22–22).

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And I lick up the dry dust of the earth, lest some pre tender to generosity should imagine in himself a superiority over me (by offering food).

24 (23–23).

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And were it not for (my) shunning what might be blamed, there would not be found, to subsist on, a potable or edible thing, excepting with me.

25 (24–24).

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But (I possess) an unyielding spirit, that will not be quiet with me under a wrong, save while I turn over (in my mind what to do).

26 (48–53).

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And covetings turn not to giddiness my sobriety; nor am I seen inquisitively prying at the heels of occurrences (or, news).

27 (46–51).

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And I become poor at times, and (then) rich. For verily, the entertainer of desire, who does not spare himself, obtains opulence.

28 (47–52).

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And I am not a repiner in poverty, habitually parading (my need); nor an exulter, proudly assuming, under wealth.

29 (26–26).

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And I go forth early, upon the most frugal fare; as the dun-coloured, lean-haunched (wolf) goes forth, which deserts direct, the one to the other.

30 (27–27).

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He goes forth betimes, fasting; he questions the wind, hungrily; he traverses the outlets of the passes; and skulks along with hanging head and straddling steps.

31 (28–28).

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Thon, when sustenance fails him, where he had sought to obtain it, he cries aloud ; and his fellows, lean also, respond;

32 (29–29).

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Thin as laths, hoary-faced ones, who are, as it were, (from attenuation), so many gaming arrows shuffling about in the two hands of a distributer by lot of the joints of a slaughtered camel;

33 (30–30).

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Or, (as though he were) an excited queen-bee, whose swarm the spatulae have roused up, thrust in (to their hive) by a honey-seeking hunter;