تَترى رؤوسهمُ عليكَ كأنّها

تَترى رؤوسهمُ عليكَ كأنّها

نُغرّ تَواضَت فوقَ روسِ تلال

نُغرّ تَواضَت فوقَ روسِ تلال

Their heads come to you in succession, as though they were

Their heads appear over you as if

Sparrows clustered upon the crests of hills.

They were doves cooing above hilltops

صُفّت بقارعةِ الرّصيفِ كأنما

صُفّت بقارعةِ الرّصيفِ كأنما

تقضي صلاةَ الخوفِ دون كمالِ

تقضي صلاةَ الخوفِ دون كمالِ

They were lined up along the paved road, as though

Lined up along the pavement as though

Performing the prayer of fear without completing it.

They were performing the incomplete prayer of fear

فاستقبلتكَ كانّما عن توبةٍ

فاستقبلتكَ كانّما عن توبةٍ

خضَعت لو ارتفعت إلى الأمهالِ

خضَعت لو ارتفعت إلى الأمهالِ

So they faced you, as though out of repentance;

So I met you as if out of repentance

They would have bowed, had they risen to receive reprieve.

I had yielded if I had risen to the highlands