شَقَقنَ بِنا تَيّارَ بَحرٍ كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا ما جَرَت فيهِ السَفينُ يُعَربِدُ

The tide has cleft us into a sea that, when

A ship rolls on it, seems as though 'twere land

تَرى مُستَقَرَّ الماءَ مِنهُ كَأَنَّهُ

سَبيبٌ عَلى الأَرضِ الفَضاءِ مُمَدَّدُ

See the still water there, as 'twere a strip

Of white stretched out across a spacious strand,

وَيَجري إِذا الأَرواحُ فيهِ تَقابَلَت

كَما مالَ مِن كَفِّ النِهامي مُبَرَّدُ

When spirits thro' it ply, 'twill run apace,

As water spilt from fighter's open hand.

فَإِن تَسكُنُ الأَرواحُ خِلتَ مُتونَهُ

مُتونَ الصِفاحِ البيضِ حينَ تُجَرَّدُ

When spirits quiet are, voids fill its main,

As camel litters of white leather bared.

فَطَوراً تَراهُ وَهوَ سَيفٌ مُهَنَّدُ

وَطَوراً تَراهُ وَهوَ دِرعٌ مُسَرَّدُ

Now as sword naked see its length unrolled,

Now as coat mail outspread its folds unpaired.

نُصَعِّدُ فيهِ وَهوَ زُرقٌ جِمامُهُ

فَنَحسِبُ أَنّا في السَماءِ نُصَعِّدُ

We mount as though 'twere heavenly stair we clomb,

So high our hopes when we have neared and fared,

أَطَفنا بِمَحمودِ السَجِيَّةِ ماجِدُ

رِضاهُ لِما نَرجو مِنَ الخَيرِ مَوعِدُ

To where the sheik, the noble soul returns,

Return his grace doth promise fortunes shared,

بِمَمتَثِلٍ فِعلَ السَحابِ إِذا غَدا

يُصَفِّقُ فيها رَعدُها وَيُغَرِّدُ

With clouds like tents when early morning glows,

And thunder thereout cracks, as songs of birds.