1. شَوَىً أثوابُهُ قُشُبُ

    ومَدٌّ شأنُه عَجَبُ

    Shawā—its garments are fresh and new;

    and a flood whose nature is wondrous.

  2. ترى الأمواجَ تسكُنُ في

    غَواربِه وتضطربُ

    You see the waves settling in

    its crests, and heaving restlessly,

  3. كسِرْبِ الوحشِ يبعُدُ في

    تناطُحِه ويَقتربُ

    like a herd of wild beasts drawing apart

    as they clash horns, then drawing near.

  4. ويومٌ يُؤثِرُ اللَّذَّا

    تِ فيه من له أدَبُ

    And a day when pleasures are favored

    by whoever has refinement.

  5. وشمسٌ من وراء الدَّجْ

    نِ تُسفِرُ ثم تنتقب

    And a sun that, from behind dark clouds,

    unveils herself, then veils herself again.

  6. ومجلِسُنا على شَرَفٍ

    بحُجْبِ الغيمِ مُحتَجِبُ

    And our gathering-place, upon a height,

    is veiled by the veils of clouds.

  7. علا فالبرقُ يَبسِمُ دو

    نَه والرعدُ يَنتحبُ

    It rises high; lightning smiles beneath

    it, and thunder sobs.

  8. فَمِنْ شرقِّيهِ لَهَبٌ

    ومن غربيِّهِ صَخَبُ

    So from its eastern side comes flame,

    and from its western side a din.

  9. وبين يديه زاهرةٌ

    إلى الأنواءِ تَنتسبُ

    And before it stands a radiant blossom,

    tracing its lineage to the rain-bearing stars.

  10. لها من كل مُرْتَجِسٍ

    يَمُرُّ بها أبٌ حَدِبُ

    For it, each rumbling cloud

    that passes by is a tender father.

  11. يَميلُ بها قضيبُ البا

    نِ أحياناً وينتصِبُ

    The bān twig bends with it

    at times, then stands upright.

  12. وقد رُفِعَتْ لنا سُودٌ

    نجومُ سَمَائِها الحَبَبُ

    And black cauldrons have been raised for us;

    the stars of their sky are bubbles.

  13. تَجيشُ بما افاءَ الطِّرْ

    فُ والمجنونةُ النُّجُبُ

    They seethe with spoils brought by the noble steed

    and the frenzied, well-bred beasts.

  14. وترطُنُ مثلَ ما جَعَلتْ

    نساءُ الزِّنج تصطَخِبُ

    And they babble, as when

    the women of the Zanj begin to clamor.

  15. وأحدَقْنا بأزهرَ خا

    فقاتٌ فوقَه العَذَبُ

    And we gathered around a radiant one,

    with streamers fluttering above it.

  16. يُواصلُ في اسمه فِعلَ ال

    مُقرَّبِ ثم يُجتَنَبُ

    In its name it continues the act

    of the one brought near, then is shunned.

  17. فما يَنفكُّ من سَبَجٍ

    يعودُ كأنه ذَهَبُ

    So it is never without jet

    that turns as though it were gold.

  18. وإخوانُ الصَّفاءِ إليْ

    كَ مشتاقٌ ومُكتَئِبُ

    And your brothers in true friendship

    long for you, and are sorrowful.

  19. وذكرُكَ بَيْنَهُمْ أزكى

    من الرَّيحانِ إن شَرِبوا

    And mention of you among them is more fragrant

    than basil when they drink.

  20. وقد وافاك مَوْكِبُهُم

    فكنْ حرّاً كما يَجِبُ

    And their procession has now reached you;

    so be noble-hearted, as you ought.