بِتُّ بِلَيلٍ كُلَّهُ لَم أَطرِفِ

قِرقِسُهُ كَالرَمَشِ المُنَتَّفِ

Awake all night with his chirping - sharp

As an eyelash rapidly blinking -

يَلسَعُنا بِشَعَرٍ مُجَوَّفِ

يُعَذِّبُ المُهجَةَ إِن لَم يُتلِفِ

Stinging us with hollow bristles

Tormenting brains, should we not take cover,

وَيَثقُبُ الجِلدَ وَراءَ المُطرَفِ

حَتّى تَرى فيهِ كَشَكلِ المِصحَفِ

And piercing skin behind the eyelid

Until you see on it the Quran’s shape

أَو مِثلِ رَشِّ العُصفُرِ المُدَوَّفِ

Or like the gilded sparrow’s splattered drops.