كَأَنَّ نُجُومَ الليْلِ مِنْ خَوْفِ فَجْرِها

كَأَنَّ نُجُومَ الليْلِ مِنْ خَوْفِ فَجْرِها

وَقَدْ جَدَّ مِنْها لِلْغُرُوبِ عَزائِمُ

وَقَدْ جَدَّ مِنْها لِلْغُرُوبِ عَزائِمُ

As though the stars of night, in fear of their dawn,

The stars of night, as if fearing their dawn,

and with their resolves to set now grown firm,

Have firmly resolved to set into the west;

جُفُونٌ حَماها الشَّوْقُ أَنْ تَطْعَمَ الكَرى

جُفُونٌ حَماها الشَّوْقُ أَنْ تَطْعَمَ الكَرى

فَأَعْيُنُها مُسْتَيْقِظَاتٌ نَوائِمُ

فَأَعْيُنُها مُسْتَيْقِظَاتٌ نَوائِمُ

were eyelids that longing has kept from tasting sleep,

Their lids, which yearning has kept awake, refuse sleep

so their eyes are wakeful, yet asleep.

So their eyes are wakeful slumberers.