لا تَعجَبي لِلمَعرّى كَيفَ أَرّقَهُ

لا تَعجَبي لِلمَعرّى كَيفَ أَرّقَهُ

ترى أَيّ نَجمٍ تَحتَهُ فَرشا

ترى أَيّ نَجمٍ تَحتَهُ فَرشا

Do not marvel at the naked one—how he has been kept awake;

Do not marvel at how he kept al-Ma'arri awake;

Do not marvel at the exposed one, how sleeplessness seized him,

you see what star lies beneath him as bedding.

see what a star he spread beneath him.

See what star he has spread beneath him for a bed.

هُوَ الهِلالُ وَإِن أَدمى أَظافِرَهُ

هُوَ الهِلالُ وَإِن أَدمى أَظافِرَهُ

فَشِبلُ غابٍ وَإِمّا إِن رَنا فَرَشا

فَشِبلُ غابٍ وَإِمّا إِن رَنا فَرَشا

He is the crescent moon: if he bloodies his claws,

He is the crescent moon; and if he bloodies his claws,

He is the crescent moon, even if he bloodies his talons,

he is a lion cub of the thicket; but if he gazes, a gazelle-fawn.

then a lion cub of the forest; and if he gazes, a gazelle fawn.

A lion cub of the forest, yet when he gazes, a fawn.