1. سحابٌ أتى كالأمنِ بعد تَخَوُّفِ

    له في الثَرى فعلُ الشِفاء بمُدنَفِ

    A cloud came like safety after fear,

    with the effect upon the soil of healing upon one gravely ill.

  2. أكَبَّ على الآفاقِ إكبابَ مُطرِقٍ

    تذكّرُ أو كالنادم المتلهف

    It bent over the horizons like one bowing his head,

    remembering, or like a remorseful man in anguish.

  3. ببرقٍ لو المقرورُ اصبحَ يصطلي

    من الأرض في قلب الشتاء به دفي

    With lightning—if a chilled man began to warm himself

    by it from the ground in winter’s heart, he would grow warm.

  4. ومَدَّ جَناحَيهِ على الأرضِ جانحاً

    فراحَ عليها كالغُراب المُرَفرِفِ

    And it spread its two wings over the earth, leaning low,

    and drifted over it like a fluttering raven.

  5. غدا البَرُّ بحراً زاخراً وانثنى الضحى

    بظُلمته في ثَوب ليلٍ مُسَجَّف

    The land became a surging sea, and morning turned back,

    in its darkness, wearing the robe of a veiled night.

  6. يُعَبِّسُ عن بَرقٍ به مُتَبَسِّمٍ

    عُبُوسَ بخيلٍ في تبسُّم مُعتَفِ

    It frowns, revealing lightning smiling within it—

    the frown of a miser at a supplicant’s smile.

  7. دجاهُ إذا ما لاحت الشمس مُبطلٌ

    سناها كمنٍّ مُبطلٍ مَنَّ مُسعفِ

    Its gloom, whenever the sun appears, effaces

    its radiance, as reproachful reminders undo a benefactor’s gift.

  8. كأنَّ التماعَ البرق في ظُلماته

    هدىً في ضلالٍ يبتدي ثم يختفي

    As though the flashing lightning in its darkness

    were guidance amid error, dawning and then vanishing.

  9. تحاولُ منه الشمسُ في الجوِّ مَخرجاً

    كما حاول المغلُوبُ تجريدَ مُرهَفِ

    The sun seeks a way out of it in the sky,

    as a vanquished man tries to unsheathe a keen-edged sword.

  10. إذا وَصَلَتهُ شمألٌ صدَّ قاطعاً

    صدودَ المعنّى عن عذول مُعَنِّفِ

    When a north wind reaches it, it turns away, breaking off,

    like a tormented man shunning a harsh reprover.

  11. فأفرغ ماءً قال واردُ شربه

    أسلسالُ ماءٍ أم سُلافَةُ قَرقَفِ

    Then it poured out water; one who came to drink it said:

    “Is this sweet-flowing water, or the choicest wine?”

  12. غدا رحمة للناس غيري فإنه

    عليَّ عذابٌ ماله من تكشّف

    It became a mercy to everyone but me, for it

    is torment upon me, with no clearing away.

  13. سحابٌ عداني عن سحابٍ وعارضٌ

    مُنعتُ به من عارض متكفكف

    A cloud kept me from another cloud, and a cloud-bank—

    through it I was barred from a cheek drawing back.