قد أغتدي نشوانَ من خَمرِ الكَرى

قد أغتدي نشوانَ من خَمرِ الكَرى

أسحبُ بُردَيَّ على بُردِ الثَّرى

أسحبُ بُردَيَّ على بُردِ الثَّرى

At times I set out at dawn, drunk on the wine of sleep,

I have become intoxicated with the wine of distress,

Dragging my two cloaks over the moist earth's cloak,

Dragging my cloak over the cold earth.

والصُّبحُ حَمْلٌ بينَ أحشاءِ الدُّجى

والصُّبحُ حَمْلٌ بينَ أحشاءِ الدُّجى

والرِّيحُ كالرَّاحِ نأى عنها القَذَى

والرِّيحُ كالرَّاحِ نأى عنها القَذَى

While dawn is an unborn child within the entrails of darkness,

Morning is a burden in the belly of darkness,

And the wind is like wine from which the dregs have fled,

And the wind is like a demon cleansed of sin.

يَنُمُّ ريَّاها على زَهْرِ الرُّبى

يَنُمُّ ريَّاها على زَهْرِ الرُّبى

بذاتِ أحداقٍ تَرى ما لا يُرى

بذاتِ أحداقٍ تَرى ما لا يُرى

Its fragrance betraying the blossoms of the hills,

Its breeze spreads over the flowers of the hillside

With a net whose eyes see what cannot be seen—

With a gaze that sees what cannot be seen,

مُلاءَةٍ ما نُسِجَتْ لُترتَدى

مُلاءَةٍ ما نُسِجَتْ لُترتَدى

تُرِيكَ ضُعفاً ظاهراً وهو قُوى

تُرِيكَ ضُعفاً ظاهراً وهو قُوى

A sheet not woven to be worn,

A softness not woven to be worn,

Showing you apparent weakness, yet it is strength,

Showing you weakness while powerful,

وجدَّةٍ تحسُبِها العينُ بِلى

وجدَّةٍ تحسُبِها العينُ بِلى

غبراءَ كَالدِّرْعِ تغشَّاها الصَّدا

غبراءَ كَالدِّرْعِ تغشَّاها الصَّدا

And newness that the eye mistakes for wear,

And a body that seems withered

Dust-gray, like a coat of mail covered in rust.

Dusty as a coat covered with rust,

تَعومُ في أبيضَ كالآلِ صَفا

تَعومُ في أبيضَ كالآلِ صَفا

ترسُبُ في أحشائِه صفرُ الحَشا

ترسُبُ في أحشائِه صفرُ الحَشا

It floats in water white and clear as a mirage;

Floating in pure white like pearls,

It sinks within its entrails, empty-bellied,

Seeping into its depths the yellow of autumn,

فتعتلي منه بأحشاءِ مِلا

فتعتلي منه بأحشاءِ مِلا

تضحكُ عن مثلِ صغيراتِ المِدى

تضحكُ عن مثلِ صغيراتِ المِدى

Then rises from it with its entrails full.

Then rising from it with the innards of a wave.

It smiles, revealing the likes of little knives;

It laughs at the likes of little girls,

تعلو إذا انحطَّت ببيضٍ كالدُمى

تعلو إذا انحطَّت ببيضٍ كالدُمى

أو عن نَقيِّ البطنِ مَوشيِّ القَرى

أو عن نَقيِّ البطنِ مَوشيِّ القَرى

When lowered, it rises with white fish like dolls,

Ascending though abased in pure white like a tear,

Or reveals one with a spotless belly and an embroidered back,

Or from the belly of a slim and well-built steed

كأنها عِقدُ لآلٍ قد وَهَى

كأنها عِقدُ لآلٍ قد وَهَى

يومضُ فيها كالحُسامِ المُنتضَى

يومضُ فيها كالحُسامِ المُنتضَى

As though it were a necklace of pearls come loose.

As if a necklace of pearls that is coming undone.

A fish flashes within it like an unsheathed sword;

Flashing in it like an unsheathed sword

لم يدرِ لمّا قصُرَت عنها الخُطى

لم يدرِ لمّا قصُرَت عنها الخُطى

أَظَلَّه منها رِداءٌ أَم رَدى

أَظَلَّه منها رِداءٌ أَم رَدى

It did not know, when its steps failed to evade the net,

That did not know when the steps fell short before it

Whether a cloak from the net had shaded it—or death.

Did its gown shade it, or was it bare?

فذلك اللذاتُ لا صيدَ الطَّلا

فذلك اللذاتُ لا صيدَ الطَّلا

يجري على آثاره الطِّرفُ الوأَى

يجري على آثاره الطِّرفُ الوأَى

That is delight—not hunting a gazelle fawn,

For that is pleasure, not hunting game,

In whose tracks the sturdy thoroughbred runs,

Flowing after it the roving glance,

حتى يُرَى عنه كليلاً قد ونى

حتى يُرَى عنه كليلاً قد ونى

Until it is seen exhausted in pursuit of it, worn out.

Until exhausted, it is seen to have weakened.