لقد قَرَعَ الواشي بأهونِ سعيهِ

لقد قَرَعَ الواشي بأهونِ سعيهِ

صفاةً قديمأً أخطأتها القوارعُ

صفاةً قديمأً أخطأتها القوارعُ

Indeed, the informer, with the slightest of his efforts, struck

The washer struck with his feeble hand

a rock that the blows of fate had long failed to strike.

An ancient chime its mallets could not find

فأقلقني في ضعفه وهو ساكنٌ

فأقلقني في ضعفه وهو ساكنٌ

وشرَّدَ عن عيني الكرى وهو هاجع

وشرَّدَ عن عيني الكرى وهو هاجع

And so, weak as he was, he disquieted me while sitting still,

His weakness stirred me though he stayed serene

and drove sleep from my eyes while he lay asleep.

And drove sweet sleep away though he was still