رُبَّ ليلٍ قطعتُهُ بصدودٍ

وفراق ما كان فيه وَداعُ

Many a night I spent awake, separated

From one whose parting brought no farewell.

مُوحِشٍ كالثقيل تقذى به الع

ين وتأبى حديثَهُ الأسماع

So lonesome it weighed upon my eyes that refused

To hear the words he would tell.

وكأنَّ النجوم بين دُجاه

سُنَنٌ لاحَ بينهُنَّ ابتداع

As if the stars in their darkness

Were traditions with no innovations between them.

مُشرِقاتٌ كأنهنّ حِجاجٌ

تقطع الخصمَ والظلامُ انقطاع

Bright ones appearing like pilgrims

Cutting through the shadows until the darkness ceases.

وكأنّ السماء خَيمَةُ وَشيٍ

وكأنّ الجوزاء فيها شراع

As if the sky were a tent for shepherds

And the Pleiades a sail within.

كانّ ليلاً فصيرته نهاراً

كُتُبٌ تَكبِتُ العدى ورقاع

I made the night into day

Books overcoming enemies and parchments.