خطَّ السَّنا ذَهَبا في اللَّازوَرْدِيِّ

خطَّ السَّنا ذَهَبا في اللَّازوَرْدِيِّ

فالأُفقُ ما بَيْنَ مَرْقُومٍ ومَوْشيِّ

فالأُفقُ ما بَيْنَ مَرْقُومٍ ومَوْشيِّ

The radiance traced gold upon the azure;

The snā traced gold in the lapis lazuli;

So the horizon is part patterned, part embroidered.

So the horizon lies between inscribed and effaced.

كأنَّما الشُّهْبُ والإصْباحُ يَنْهَبُها

كأنَّما الشُّهْبُ والإصْباحُ يَنْهَبُها

دَراهمٌ سَقَطَتْ مِنْ كفِّ زَنجيِّ

دَراهمٌ سَقَطَتْ مِنْ كفِّ زَنجيِّ

As though the stars, while dawn plunders them,

As though the shooting stars and dawn's light plundered it -

Were silver coins fallen from a Black man's palm.

Silver coins spilled from a negro's hand.