أما ترى البرد قد وافَت عساكره

أما ترى البرد قد وافَت عساكره

وعَسكَرُ الحرِّ كيف انصاع منطلقا

وعَسكَرُ الحرِّ كيف انصاع منطلقا

Do you not see that the cold’s armies have arrived,

Behold the frost has marched its armies forth,

And how the army of heat has turned away and departed?

While summer's heat has humbly made retreat,

والأرض تحت ضَريب الثلج تحسبَها

والأرض تحت ضَريب الثلج تحسبَها

قد أُلبِسَت حُبُكاً أو غُشِّيَت ورقا

قد أُلبِسَت حُبُكاً أو غُشِّيَت ورقا

And the earth beneath the frozen snow—you would think it

And all the earth lies 'neath the snow's white sheet

Had been clothed in woven patterns or overlaid with silver.

As though robed in a mantle or leafy cloth.

فانهَض بنارٍ الى فحم كأنهما

فانهَض بنارٍ الى فحم كأنهما

في العين ظُلم وإنصافٌ قد اتفقا

في العين ظُلم وإنصافٌ قد اتفقا

So rise and bring fire to charcoal, as though the two

So light a fire whose embers, dark as night,

Were, to the eye, injustice and justice in accord.

With flames that dance like suns, spread warmth and light,

جاءت ونحن كقَلبِ الصبِّ حين سلا

جاءت ونحن كقَلبِ الصبِّ حين سلا

بَرداً فصرنا كقلب الصبّ إذ عَشِقا

بَرداً فصرنا كقلب الصبّ إذ عَشِقا

It came while we were like a lover’s heart when he had ceased to love—

The frost came on us like a maiden chaste,

Cold; then we became like a lover’s heart when he fell in love.

And now we burn for her in fevered haste.