ويا ليلة أفنيتُ فاحم نَفْسها

بفكريَ في مُهْراق بيض المنى كتبا

Oh night I have wasted, inhaling its scent

With my thoughts of the white hills of al-Mana in scripture

عبرت بها بحر الهموم فلم أجد

به لارتقاب الفجر شرقاً ولا غرباً

I crossed with it the sea of worries, but did not find

In it, in awaiting the dawn, an east or west

فهبْ حَلَّقتْ بالفجر عنقاء مغرب

فأين استقلا حين ناما فما هبا

So it flew away at dawn, a western gazelle

Where did they alight when they slept, that they did not bestow

يُخَيِّلُ لي أَن النجومَ شَواخصٌ

حيارى على إِثريهما ترقب الدربا

It seems to me the stars are signposts

Bewildered, in their tracks, awaiting the path

أَتبغي انتظار القارظِيّيْن منهما

نجوم الدجى من بعد ما قضيا نحبا

Do I expect the two to wait for the Qarzi stars?

The stars of nightfall, after they had fulfilled their vow