رأيتُ ببابِك هذا المُنيفِ

رأيتُ ببابِك هذا المُنيفِ

شِباكا فداخَلني بعضُ شَكّْ

شِباكا فداخَلني بعضُ شَكّْ

At this lofty gate of yours, I saw

At this lofty gate of yours I saw

nets—and a measure of doubt entered me.

nets, and some doubt came over me.

وفكّر فيما رأى خاطرِي

وفكّر فيما رأى خاطرِي

فقلتُ البحارُ مكان الشَّبَك

فقلتُ البحارُ مكان الشَّبَك

My mind pondered what it had seen,

And my mind pondered what it had seen,

so I said: the seas are where nets belong.

so I said, “The seas are the place for nets.”