مَرَقتُ بِنَهرِ المَسرِقانِ عَشِيَّةً

مَرَقتُ بِنَهرِ المَسرِقانِ عَشِيَّةً

فَأَبصَرتُ أَقماراً تَروحُ وَتَغرُبُ

فَأَبصَرتُ أَقماراً تَروحُ وَتَغرُبُ

I sped by the Masriqan River one evening,

I walked by the banks of al-Masraqan in the evening,

Then saw moons departing and setting.

And saw moons going and setting,

كَأَنَّهُمُ دُرٌّ تَقَطَّعَ سِلكُهُ

كَأَنَّهُمُ دُرٌّ تَقَطَّعَ سِلكُهُ

وَغودِرَ فَوقَ الماءِ يَطفو وَيَرسُبُ

وَغودِرَ فَوقَ الماءِ يَطفو وَيَرسُبُ

As though they were pearls whose string had snapped,

As though they were pearls whose string was broken,

And the pearls were left upon the water, floating and sinking.

And they rolled upon the water, floating and sinking.

فَكَم ثَمَّ مِن خَشفٍ عَلى الماءِ لاعِبٌ

فَكَم ثَمَّ مِن خَشفٍ عَلى الماءِ لاعِبٌ

فَيا مَن رَأى خَشفاً عَلى الماءِ يَلعَبُ

فَيا مَن رَأى خَشفاً عَلى الماءِ يَلعَبُ

And how many a fawn was there, playing on the water!

How often a bubble on the water plays!

And oh, who has seen a fawn playing on the water?

So, O you who sees a bubble playing on the water,

كَأَنَّ السَميرِيّاتُ فيهِ عَقارِبٌ

كَأَنَّ السَميرِيّاتُ فيهِ عَقارِبٌ

تَجيءُ عَلى زُرقِ الزُجاجِ وَتَذهَبُ

تَجيءُ عَلى زُرقِ الزُجاجِ وَتَذهَبُ

As though the samiriyya boats upon it were scorpions,

It's as though the glowworms among it were scorpions

Coming and going over blue glass.

Coming over the blueness of glass and going away.