اليومَ نورُ جَيْبِ الدُّجُنِّ مَزْرُورُ

والظِّلُّ مُنْتَظِمٌ والطَّلُّ مَنْثُورُ

Today the light of the fold's bosom is visited,

And the shade is orderly, and the shadow scattered.

ولِلرّياضِ اِخْتِيالٌ في مَلابِسِها

مَثلَ القَصائِدِ مَمدودٌ وَمَقصورُ

As if the orchards in their garb

Were poems, some fully measured, some with missing feet.

كَأَنَّ ما اِصْفَرَّ وَالمحمر يَرقُبُه

في محفل النّور محزون ومسرورُ

As if the yellow and red were being watched

In the assembly of light, sad and happy.

كأنّ نَوَّارَهُ والرّيح تقذفُهُ

في الماء جيشانِ مخذولٌ ومنصورُ

As if its blossoms and the wind were hurling it

In the water two armies, defeated and victorious.

كَأَنَّ أَظلالَه وَالشمسُ يَنسَخُها

عَنهُ رِداءان مَطْوِيٌّ ومنشورُ

As if its shadows and the sun were stripping it

Of two garments, folded and spread.

كَأنّ يانِعهُ مِن بعد مُورِقِهِ

فيهِ حَديثانِ مَعلولٌ ومأثورُ

As if its luxuriance after its leafiness

Contained two tales, infirm and well-known.

كَأَنَّما الثَّلجُ والنَّارنجُ مُرتَدِياً

به مجامرَ نارٍ فوقَها نورُ

As if the ice and fire were wearing

Fiery embers above which was light.

عُرْسُ الربيعِ الَّذي فُضَّت دَراهِمُهُ

عَلَيهِ وَاِنتَثَرَتْ فيه الدَّنانيرُ

The wedding of Spring whose coins

Were poured on it and dinars were strewn about it.

كم أحمرٍ أَنْشَدَتْ فيه الحمائمُ إذ

مُعَصْفر غَرَّدَتْ فيه العصافيرُ

How much red the doves sang to when

Saffron warbled, and in it the sparrows twittered.

فَالجَوّ وَالنّور وَالوادي وَبِزَّتُهُ

دُرٌّ ودُرٌّ وديباجٌ وكافورُ

So the air, the light, the valley and its carpet

Were pearls, pearls, brocade, and camphor.

تُهدي نَوافِجُهُ ما في نَواقِحه

فعَيْشُهُ مُطْلَقٌ والهَمُّ مأسورُ

Its witticisms give what is in its ingeniousness

So its living is absolute, and anxiety is captive.

ما شئتَ من مُلَحٍ فيه يصنَعُهَا

شادٍ وحادٍ وَمَلّاحٌ وناطورُ

Whatever you wish of salt in it the nimble,

Joking, salty and quick-witted make for you.

قُمْ للصَّبُوح فقد غنّى البلابل تنويباً

ولاحت من الصُّبْح التباشيرُ

Arise for the early dawn, for the nightingales have sung,

And the first indications of dawn have appeared from the dawn.

وَقَهقَهتْ شَفَةُ الإِبريق ضاحِكَةً

على الكؤوس وناغَتْهَا النَّواعيرُ

And the jug's lip laughed

At the goblets, and the ewers cooed to them.

أما تَرى الدَّوْحَ يجلي في زَبَرْجَدِهِ

فِراشَها في أديم الأرض بِلَّوْرُ

Do you not see the dew revealing in its emerald

Its bed on the surface of the earth crystal?

قُمْ عاطِها مخطف طالت ذوائبُهُ

وصُدْغُهُ فيه عن خدَّيْهِ تقصيرُ

Arise, give to it a swiping glance—its tresses are long—

And the mole near its cheek causes it shortcoming.

واهي الجُفُونِ مَصُون القوم مُبْتَذَلٌ

لطَرْفِهِ وأميرُ الحيِّ مأمورُ

Languid of eyelid, protected, the darling of the tribe, sought

By its glance, and the prince of the quarter commanded.