فِي الجو كَحَّالْ كَمْ كَحَّلْ من أجفَانْ

والبرق يقْدَحْ والسحَاب لُو عِينْ

How the air is kohl, how much kohl from eyelids,

And lightning that strikes, clouds with eyes,

والريحْ يقسّطْ والسحَابْ المِقْدَاحْ

والقلب مِشْرَطْ وَالمِقَصْ النّسْرِينْ

Winds that lash out, clouds that ignite,

A heart that's a blade, scissors made of eagles.

والثور علَّقْ والمُقَاتِلْ شَمَّرْ

والجدي يبْزِل وَالبَزالْ الفَرْعِينْ

The bull is hung, the warrior girded,

The stalwart staggers, the hero on his knees.

والبدرْ جردْ والمِحَك العَيُّوقْ

والليلْ يكَحِّلْ وَالظلاَمْ الإثْمِدْ

The moon is naked, the chisel true,

The night applies kohl, the darkness sealed shut.

والنطحْ سيفْ والمجره سَيَّافْ

والأفقْ مُقْلَهْ والصبَاح المِرْوَدْ

The butting is a sword, the galaxy a swordsman,

The horizon an anvil, the dawn a hammer.

الروضْ كِيمْيَا والأزَاهِرْ جَابِرْ

وَالرندْ صَبْغَه والشَّقِيقْ الأكْسِيرْ

The meadow is chemistry, the flowers Jabir,

The salvia a dye, the poppy the elixir.

والزهرْ مَرْهَمْ وَالقَرَنْفُلْ فرار

والنهرْ قلعي والنسيم التسخير

The blossom an ointment, the carnation quick flight,

The river an uprooter, the breeze a captive set free.

والدوح قَرْعَهْ وَالنَّوارْ الانْبِيقْ

والريح ينفخ والجو مثل الكِيرْ

The inkstand a knock, the lamps a gushing forth,

The wind blows, the air like sulphur.

والتُّرْب تَكْلِيسْ والكَمَائِمْ كَانُونْ

والطَّلْ يقَطَّرْ وَالزَّهَرْ يصَعَّدْ

The soil is packing, the pleiades a brazier,

The dew drips, the flowers rise in vapors,

والورد سِكَّهْ والبنفسحْ طَابعْ

والقطرْ يَطْبَعْ والاقَاحْ يجَسَّدْ

The rose is minted, the jasmine stamped,

The raindrops imprint, pollination embodied.