وَلَيْلٍ طَويلِ الباعِ فَرَّقْتُ شَمْلَهُ

وَلَيْلٍ طَويلِ الباعِ فَرَّقْتُ شَمْلَهُ

بِخِرْقٍ جَميعِ الرَّأْيِ غَيْرِ شَتيتِهِ

بِخِرْقٍ جَميعِ الرَّأْيِ غَيْرِ شَتيتِهِ

And many a long-reaching night I broke apart,

Long was the night whose unity I scattered

with a noble man, his judgment whole, not scattered.

With a tear rending all plans but not their intent

أَهَبْتُ بِهِ وَالعِيسُ مِيلٌ رِقابُها

أَهَبْتُ بِهِ وَالعِيسُ مِيلٌ رِقابُها

لِيَبْعُدَ مَسْرَى هَمِّهِ بُعْدَ صِيتِهِ

لِيَبْعُدَ مَسْرَى هَمِّهِ بُعْدَ صِيتِهِ

I called out to him while the pale camels' necks drooped,

I roused it as the horses lowered their necks

so his ambition's night-journey might reach as far as his renown.

That its worry's journey might match its clamor's extent

فَنَفَّضَ عَن أَجْفانِهِ غُبَّرَ الكَرى

فَنَفَّضَ عَن أَجْفانِهِ غُبَّرَ الكَرى

وقد مالَ تَرْنيقُ النُّعاس بِلِيتهِ

وقد مالَ تَرْنيقُ النُّعاس بِلِيتهِ

Then he shook the remnants of slumber from his eyelids,

So it shook off from its lids the dust of concerns

though drowsiness's droop had already bent his neck.

And the smoothness of drowsiness inclined by its side

وَما ظَنُّهُ وَالنَّجْمُ واهٍ نِطاقُهِ

وَما ظَنُّهُ وَالنَّجْمُ واهٍ نِطاقُهِ

بِأَرْوَعَ مُحْيي لَيْلِهِ وَمُميتِهِ

بِأَرْوَعَ مُحْيي لَيْلِهِ وَمُميتِهِ

And what could the night expect, with the star's girdle slack,

Unaware, as the faint star's bond was undone

of a gallant who brings his night to life and slays it?

Of the most wondrous of what would end or give life to its night

هَفا مَرَحَاً وَالدِّيكُ يَدْعُو صَباحَهُ

هَفا مَرَحَاً وَالدِّيكُ يَدْعُو صَباحَهُ

وَخاضَ حَشاهُ وَالقطا في مَبيتهِ

وَخاضَ حَشاهُ وَالقطا في مَبيتهِ

He sped joyfully as the cock called for its dawn,

It frolicked freely, while the cock called out its dawn

and waded through its belly while the sandgrouse lay at roost.

And the beasts forded its darkness, in its shelter