صاحِ غَمَّضْتُ وما غَمْ

صاحِ غَمَّضْتُ وما غَمْ

مَضَ جَفْنَيَّ الهُجودُ

مَضَ جَفْنَيَّ الهُجودُ

Friend, I closed my eyes, though it was not

My companion closed his eyes though no drowsiness

slumber that closed my eyelids,

Had weighed his eyelids down

بِبَريقٍ هَبَّ تَحْدو

بِبَريقٍ هَبَّ تَحْدو

هُ بُروقٌ ورُعودُ

هُ بُروقٌ ورُعودُ

but a flash that rose, urged onward

With a flash leaping up, lightning

by lightning flashes and peals of thunder.

And thunder drawing near

مُقْبِلٌ يَقْصِدُ أَحْيا

مُقْبِلٌ يَقْصِدُ أَحْيا

ناً وأَحْياناً يَحيدُ

ناً وأَحْياناً يَحيدُ

Approaching, it heads straight at

A cloudburst heading for settlements

times, and at times veers aside.

Now here, now there, diverting

زَجِلٌ تَحْسَبُ في قُطْ

زَجِلٌ تَحْسَبُ في قُطْ

رَيْهِ غِيلٌ وأُسودُ

رَيْهِ غِيلٌ وأُسودُ

Resounding, you would think that in its two

A rain cloud where you’d think

flanks were thickets and lions.

Were confusion and darkness

عُلْوُهُ في النَّجْمِ لَكِنْ

عُلْوُهُ في النَّجْمِ لَكِنْ

سفْلُهُ حَيْثُ الصَّعيدُ

سفْلُهُ حَيْثُ الصَّعيدُ

Its upper reaches are among the stars, but

Though lofty in the stars, its

its lower reaches are where the earth lies.

Base where the ground lies

فيهِ للأَزْهُرِ والرَّو

فيهِ للأَزْهُرِ والرَّو

ضَةِ وَعْدٌ ووَعيدُ

ضَةِ وَعْدٌ ووَعيدُ

In it, for the flowers and the

For flowers and greenery both

meadow, are promise and threat.

Promise and warning in it reside