بَشَّرَ بِالصُبحِ طائِرٌ هَتَفا

مُستَوفِياً لِلجِدارِ مُشتَرِفا

A bird chirped glad tidings of the dawn

Surveying the wall, looking out

مُذَكِّراً بِالصَبوحِ صاحَ بِنا

كَخاطِبٍ فَوقَ مِنبَرٍ وَقَفا

Reminding us of the early morn, it called out to us

Like an orator standing atop a pulpit

صَفَّقَ إِمّا اِرتِياحَةً لِسَنى ال

فَجرِ وَإِمّا عَلى الدُجى أَسَفا

It twittered, rejoicing in the dawn’s first light

Or grieving the darkness’ departure

فَاِشرَب عُقاراً كَأَنَّها قَبَسٌ

قَد سَبَكَ الدَهرُ تِبرَها فَصَفا

So drink a draught as if it were an ember

Which time has forged, refining its gleam

تُدمي فِدامَ الإِبريقِ مِن دَمِها

كَأَنَّهُ راعِفٌ وَما رَعَفا

It spills into the pitcher’s brim, its blood

As if it sighs, though it has never sighed

بِكَفِّ ساقٍ حُلوٍ شَمائِلُهُ

مُكَرِّهٌ لَحظَ عَينِهِ صَلَفا

With a fair leg whose curves compel

Its languorous gaze to wander

يَقطُرُ مِسكاً عَلى غَلائِلِهِ

شُعرُ نَقا بِالعَبيرِ قَد وَكَفا

Musk drips from its locks onto its braids

Hair softly scented with perfume it has folded

أَفرَغَ مِن دُرِّهِ وَعَنبَرِهِ

حُسناً وَطيباً في خَلقِهِ اِئتَلَفا

It has emptied its pearls and ambergris

Into the beauty and sweetness married in its form

يُطَيِّبُ الريحَ حينَ يَمسَحُهُ

فَما بِريحٍ هَبَّت عَلَيهِ خَفا

It sweetens the air when it strokes it

No breeze has ever wafted over it, gently

أَراقَ فيها المَزاجَ فَاِشتَعَلَت

كَمِثلِ نارٍ أَطعَمتَها سَعَفا

It has spilled its temperament into it, and it caught flame

Like a fire fed with straw and kindling