1. The pigeons cooed on the roof ridge twice and sang,
The smooth stick adorned with dew beads.
١. شاقَ الحمامَ برامتين فغردا
جيدُ القضيب يزينهُ عقد النّدى
2. His garments fluttered with the morning breeze's greetings,
Attracting them like a thread attracts the morning breeze and they cooed.
٢. هزَّت معاطفهُ تحياتُ الصّبا
كالقدِ جاذبهُ الصّبا فتأودوا
3. The arrows of rain weakened on its slopes,
As if its streams were bare swords.
٣. شلّت سهام المزن في هضباتها
فكأنَّ جدولها حسام جردا
4. It flows and sheaths itself in the pond with its youth,
That's why it remains always polished.
٤. يمضي فيغمد في الغدير شباته
فلأجل ذلك لايزال مزرّدا
5. The rust on its shadows increases its beauty,
Have you ever seen a sword polished by rust?
٥. صدأ الظلال يزيد رونق حسنه
أرأيتَ سيفاً قطُّ يصقل بالصّدأ
6. Your footsteps on its plains would not have been richer,
If it were possible to gather what they had scattered.
٦. ما كان أغنى راحتيك بسفحها
لو كان يمكن جمع ما قد بدّدا
7. The snakes slid in rapture over its slopes,
With the river a garment and with the breeze rumpled.
٧. خلع الحيا طرباً على أعطافها
بالنهر ثوباً بالنسيم مجّعدا
8. The gazelles still weep until you see
The lightning become a blind eyelid.
٨. مازال يبكي باسمات ظبائه
حتى رأيتَ البرق جفناً أرمدا
9. Crying over youth and its era has preoccupied my eyes,
Too sad to cry over the faded beauty.
٩. شغل البكاءُ على الشباب وعصره
جفنيَّ أن أبكي الحسان الخرَّدا
10. The morning breeze and the singers both
Broke the promise of union and missed the appointment.
١٠. خان الصّبا والغانيات كلاهما
عهدَ الوصال وأخلفاني الموعدا
11. If it were possible to regain what is past,
I would have wished or ransomed it with my soul.
١١. لو كان يمكن ردُّ ما هو فائتٌ
لوددت أو يفدى بذلت له الفدى
12. How I wished for a pitch-black night,
Even if the light of dawn could not find its way.
١٢. ولكم منيت بليلةٍ مسودةٍ
لو أمّها ضوءُ الصباح لما اهتدى
13. The stars on its horizon hung as if
Drunk, plunged in deep slumber.
١٣. علقت كواكبُ أفقها فكأنّما
شربت وطال بها السهاد الرقدا
14. As if the lightning rod feared its wings
And descended, retiring from flashing.
١٤. وكأنَّ ساري البرق خاف بجنحها
أمراً فسلَّ من الوميض مهنداً
15. The foundations of its clouds fell silent as if
Their quivers were emptied, flowing without limit.
١٥. صمتت رواعد سحبه فكأنّما
ريعت قلائصها فسرنَ بلا حدا
16. And I answered the lover's call even if
The echo of imagination would not respond to it.
١٦. وأجبتُ هاتفةَ الغرامِ ولو دعا
طيف الخيال لما أجاب به الصدى
17. Burdened by an emigrant whose apparition abandoned me,
So I suffered, and a set of teeth and pillow.
١٧. كلفاً بهاجرةٍ جفاني طيفها
فشقيتُ وسناناً بها ومسهدا
18. Her talk is beautiful singing that shakes me,
Shaking the litter unleashed and tied down.
١٨. وحديثها نعم الغناء يهزُّني
هزَّ الأراكة مطلقاً ومقيدا
19. It is sweet and shortens in the ears by its length,
Increasing the beauty of delicate repetition.
١٩. يحلو فيقصر في المسامع طوله
ويزيد حسنَ نضارةٍ ما ردّدا
20. As if it were the utterance of bliss with the advent of
The mighty king who renewed and did not perish.
٢٠. وكأنّهُ لفظ الهناءِ بمقدمِ الـ
ـملك العزيز الذّه ما جدّدا