1. A melting heart and a flowing tear
O night, is there any news of the dawn?
١. قَلبٌ يَذوبُ وَمَدمَعٌ يَجري
يا لَيلُ هَل خَبَرٌ عَنِ الفَجرِ
2. Your stars blocked its horizon
Seek no joy nor ease
٢. حالَت نُجومُكَ دونَ مَطلَعِهِ
لا تَبتَغي حِوَلاً وَلا يَسري
3. And spread their wings so I imagined
The morning was hostage to the end of times
٣. وَتَطاوَلَت جُنحاً فَخُيِّلَ لي
أَنَّ الصَباحَ رَهينَةُ الحَشرِ
4. You made them settle and controlled their course
With an everlasting darkness like the coffin of life
٤. أَرسَيتَها وَمَلَكتَ مَذهَبَها
بِدُجُنَّةٍ كَسَريرَةِ الدَهرِ
5. A darkness that brings them and takes them back
While the waves return to the sea
٥. ظُلُمٌ تَجيءُ بِها وَتُرجِعُها
وَالمَوجُ مُنقَلِبٌ إِلى البَحرِ
6. If only fate, Moses could bring it
From this Pharaoh of thinking and contemplation
٦. لَيتَ الكَرى موسى فَيورِدَها
فِرعَونُ هَذا السُهدِ وَالفِكرِ
7. And I would surely say to a charming spell
That makes one cry for no purpose or secret
٧. وَلَقَد أَقولُ لِهاتِفٍ سحراً
يَبكي لِغَيرِ نَوىً وَلا أَسرِ
8. While the garden is silent except for the rustling
Of the branches and the clamor of betrayal
٨. وَالرَوضُ أَخرَسُ غَيرَ وَسوَسَةٍ
خَفَقَ الغُصونِ وَجِريَةِ الغَدرِ
9. The birds filled the nests, their heads
Like fruits appeared from the jujube tree
٩. وَالطَيرُ مِلءُ الأَيكِ أَرؤُسُها
مِثلُ الثِمارِ بَدَت مِنَ السِدرِ
10. It lowered its wing and cooed with its chest
And sang with its two yellow colors like gold
١٠. أَلقى الجَناحَ وَناءَ بِالصَدرِ
وَرَنا بِصَفراوَينِ كَالتِبرِ
11. It spoke to the nests of their shelters
And resided amongst their reddish forms
١١. كَلَمَ السُهادُ بُيوتَ هُدبِهِما
وَأَقامَ بَينَ رُسومِها الحُمرِ
12. Its wings calm so you'd think it
Was made by hands or sorcery
١٢. تَهدا جَوانِحُهُ فَتَحسَبُهُ
مِن صَنعَةِ الأَيدي أَوِ السِحرِ
13. And it flutters so it's a hand on the branches
Its fingers clung from embers
١٣. وَتَثورُ فَهوَ عَلى الغُصونِ يَدٌ
عَلِقَت أَنامِلُها مِنَ الجَمرِ
14. O bird, tell your brother what's happening
We both are places of secrets
١٤. يا طَيرُ بُثَّ أَخاكَ ما يَجري
إِنّا كِلانا مَوضِعُ السِرِّ
15. I have, like you, the same passion and purpose
I am among the people and you are on the moon
١٥. بي مِثلُ ما بِكَ مِن جَوىً وَنَوىً
أَنا في الأَنامِ وَأَنتَ في القُمرِ
16. Love has toyed with us and frightened us
I with blame and you with deterrence
١٦. عَبَثَ الغَرامُ بِنا وَرَوَّعَنا
أَنا بِالمَلامِ وَأَنتَ بِالزَجرِ
17. O bird, do not grieve for an incident
All souls are hostage to harm
١٧. يا طَيرُ لا تَجزَع لِحادِثَةٍ
كُلُّ النُفوسِ رَهائِنُ الضَرِّ
18. If you knew the good in what shocked you
It would be easier evil than evil
١٨. فيما دَهاكَ لَوِ اِطَّلَعتَ رِضىً
شَرٌّ أَخَفُّ عَلَيكَ مِن شَرِّ
19. O bird, life's bitterness, if only you know
In its purity and purity in bitterness
١٩. يا طَيرُ كَدرُ العَيشِ لَو تَدري
في صَفوِهِ وَالصَفوُ في الكَدرِ
20. When matters become difficult, they become difficult
And what you belittled of the matter becomes easy
٢٠. وَإِذا الأُمورُ اِستُصعِبَت صَعُبَت
وَيَهونُ ما هَوَّنتَ مِن أَمرِ
21. O bird, if only we were patient
Perhaps God's spirit is in patience
٢١. يا طَيرُ لَو لُذنا بِمُصطَبَرٍ
فَلَعَلَّ روحَ اللَهِ في الصَبرِ
22. And hopefully trials are a relief for us
Against indifference and abandonment
٢٢. وَعَسى الأَمانِيُّ العِذابُ لَنا
عَونٌ عَلى السُلوانِ وَالهَجرِ