وَشادن أَبصَرتُهُ قائِماً

يَلعَبُ بِالأُكرَةِ في مَوسِمِ

I saw him standing,

Playing with a ball in the season,

كَأَنَّهُ البَدرُ وَقَد كُلّلَت

مِن عرَقِ خَدّاهُ بِالأَنجُمِ

As if he were the full moon adorned

With stars made from the sweat of his cheeks.

وَكُلَّما أَبعَدَها رَكضُهُ

عادَت عَلى أَقدامِهِ تَرتَمي

And every time his running sent it far,

It would come back falling at his feet.

قُلتُ لَهُ ما اِسمُكَ قُل لي فَقَد

سَفَكتَ مِن غَيرِ جِراحٍ دَمي

I said to him, "Tell me your name," for you

Have spilled my blood without inflicting wounds.

فَمَرَّ في لُعبَتِهِ لاهِياً

وَقالَ حَرفانِ مِنَ المُعجَمِ

But he passed by, distracted in his game,

And said two letters from the alphabet.