وليلةِand a night مُشتاقٍof a longing lover كأنَّas though نجومَهاits stars
وليلةِ مُشتاقٍ كأنَّ نجومَها
قدindeed اغتَصَبَتrobbed عينيmy eyes الكرىsleep وَهنيwhile they نُوَّمُare asleep
قد اغتَصَبَت عيني الكرى وَهني نُوَّمُ
And a longing lover’s night, whose stars seem
to have robbed my eyes of sleep, while they themselves slumber.
كأنَّas though عُيُونَthe eyes الساهرينَof the wakeful لطُولهاbecause of its length
كأنَّ عُيُونَ الساهرينَ لطُولها
إذاwhen شَخَصَتstared fixedly للأنجمِtoward the stars الزُهرِthe radiant أنجُمُstars
إذا شَخَصَت للأنجمِ الزُهرِ أنجُمُ
As though the eyes of the wakeful, through its long hours,
when fixed upon the radiant stars, were stars themselves.
كأنَّas though سوادَthe blackness الليلِof the night والفَجرُwhile dawn ضاحِكٌis laughing
كأنَّ سوادَ الليلِ والفَجرُ ضاحِكٌ
يلوحُappears ويَخفَىand fades from view أسوَدٌa black man يتبسَّمُsmiles
يلوحُ ويَخفَى أسوَدٌ يتبسَّمُ
As though the night’s blackness—with dawn laughing,
appearing and fading—were a black man smiling.
Sol 6.1