ظَفِرتُ عَلى رُغمِ اللَيالي بِكَوكَبٍ

يُقِرُّ لَهُ بَدرُ السَما وَالكَواكِبُ

I have attained, despite the nights, a star

To which the full moon and stars concede.

وَوُسِّدَ خَدّي عَقرَباً فَوقَ خَدِّها

بِما بِتُّ دَهراً في فِراشي عَقارِبُ

And my cheek was stung by a scorpion atop its cheek,

From my tossing at night on a bed of scorpions.

وَخُضرَتُها قَد جاوَرَت خُضرَةَ اللَمى

وَلِلعَينِ فيها وَالقُلوبِ مَذاهِبُ

Its greenness matched the green of verdure,

Both holding allure for the eye and heart.

وَقَد كانَتِ الدُنيا الَّتي لَم تَكُن بِها

إِذا اِخضَرَّ مِنها جانِبٌ جَفَّ جانِبُ

The world that was not as it was

When one part turned green, the other waned.

بَدَت لي بِها دُنيايَ خَضراءَ كُلُّها

فَلا مَنظَرٌ إِلّا وَفيهِ مَآرِبُ

Appeared to me, with it, a world completely verdant,

No scene without some charm, some delight.