وَلَيْلٍ طَويلِ الباعِ فَرَّقْتُ شَمْلَهُ

بِخِرْقٍ جَميعِ الرَّأْيِ غَيْرِ شَتيتِهِ

Long was the night whose unity I scattered

With a tear rending all plans but not their intent

أَهَبْتُ بِهِ وَالعِيسُ مِيلٌ رِقابُها

لِيَبْعُدَ مَسْرَى هَمِّهِ بُعْدَ صِيتِهِ

I roused it as the horses lowered their necks

That its worry's journey might match its clamor's extent

فَنَفَّضَ عَن أَجْفانِهِ غُبَّرَ الكَرى

وقد مالَ تَرْنيقُ النُّعاس بِلِيتهِ

So it shook off from its lids the dust of concerns

And the smoothness of drowsiness inclined by its side

وَما ظَنُّهُ وَالنَّجْمُ واهٍ نِطاقُهِ

بِأَرْوَعَ مُحْيي لَيْلِهِ وَمُميتِهِ

Unaware, as the faint star's bond was undone

Of the most wondrous of what would end or give life to its night

هَفا مَرَحَاً وَالدِّيكُ يَدْعُو صَباحَهُ

وَخاضَ حَشاهُ وَالقطا في مَبيتهِ

It frolicked freely, while the cock called out its dawn

And the beasts forded its darkness, in its shelter