أقولُI say والصّبْحُwhile dawn لاnot تَبْدوappear مَخايِلُهُits signs
أقولُ والصّبْحُ لا تَبْدو مَخايِلُهُ
وقدand indeed تعجّبْتُI have marveled منْat سُهْديmy sleeplessness ومِنْand at أرَقِيmy insomnia
وقد تعجّبْتُ منْ سُهْدي ومِنْ أرَقِي
I say, while dawn’s signs have yet to appear,
marveling at my sleeplessness and my insomnia:
كأنّماas though اللّيْلُthe night زَنْجِيٌّa Black African مَلابِسُهُhis clothes
كأنّما اللّيْلُ زَنْجِيٌّ مَلابِسُهُ
قدalready زُيّنَتْhave been adorned بِلآلِئwith the pearls of أنْجُمِthe stars of الأفقِthe horizon
قد زُيّنَتْ بِلآلِئ أنْجُمِ الأفقِ
It is as though night were a Black African whose clothes
are adorned with the pearls of the horizon’s stars,
ونامَand he fell asleep سُكْراًdrunk فَلاso no شيءthing يُنَبِّهُهُrouses him
ونامَ سُكْراً فَلا شيء يُنَبِّهُهُ
لمّاwhen تحسّىhe sipped دِراكاًin quick succession حُمْرَةَthe redness of الشّفَقِtwilight
لمّا تحسّى دِراكاً حُمْرَةَ الشّفَقِ
and who has fallen asleep drunk, so nothing can rouse him,
after sipping in quick succession the crimson of twilight.
Sol 6.1