وَصَهوَةِ عَزمٍ قَد تَمَطَّيتُ وَالدُجى

مُكِبُّ كَأَنَّ الصُبحَ في صَدرِهِ سُرُّ

With resolute determination I donned the dark night

Bent over as if dawn was hidden in his chest

وَقَد أَلحَفَتني شَملَةُ الظِلِّ شَمأَلٌ

يُقَلقِلُ أَحشاءَ الأَراكِ بِها ذُعرُ

Enveloped by the blackness of shade that startles

The gazelle, stirring their hearts with fright

وَأَشرَفَ طَمّاحُ الذُؤابَةِ شامِخٌ

تَنَطَّقَ بِالجَوزاءِ لَيلاً لَهُ خَصرُ

The ambitious star peered out towering high

Speaking to the constellation in the night, slender at the waist

وُقورٌ عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي كَأَنَّما

يُصيخُ إِلى نَجوى وَفي أُذنِهِ وَقرُ

Dignified as the nights passed as though

He whispered intimacies, hearing them in his ear

تَمَهَّدَ مِنهُ كُلُّ رُكنٍ رَكانَةً

فَقَطَّبَ إِطراقاً وَقَد ضَحِكَ البَدرُ

Every corner settled into tranquility

Blinking gently as the full moon smiled

وَلاذَ بِهِ نَسرُ السَماءِ كَأَنَّما

يَحِنُّ إِلى وَكرٍ بِهِ ذَلِكَ النَسرُ

The eagle of the sky took refuge there as though

Yearning for a nest, did that eagle

فَلَم أَدرِ مِن صَمتٍ لَهُ وَسَكينَةٍ

أَكبَرَةُ سِنٍّ وَقَّرَت مِنهُ أَم كِبرُ

I know not whether from his silence and serenity

Old age made him dignified or he dignified old age