دبَّ العذارُ عَلى ميدان وُجنَتِهِ

حَتّى اِذا كادَ أَن يَسعى بِهِ وَقَفا

The rain pattered on the meadow and its groves

Until, when it seemed about to move on, it stopped,

كَأَنَّهُ كاتِبٌ عَزِّ المداد لَه

أَرادَ يَكتُبُ لاماً فَاِبتَدا أَلِفا

As though it were a scribe, short of ink,

Who wanted to write a 'l' but started with an 'a'.