ومديدِ الخطى كأنّكَ منه

تضعُ اللّبْدَ فوق تيّارِ سَيْلِ

With strides so long you'd think them streaming from it,

You place your footprints above a torrent's flow,

قيدُ وحشٍ ملاذُ خائرِ وهنٍ

وقرى معقلٍ وحارسُ ليلِ

A worn-out wild beast's hobble, refuge of weakness and decay,

Hamlets, a fortress, and guard of night,

أسْبِقُ الريحَ فوقه فإذا ما

فتّها أمسكتْ بفضلةِ ذيلي

I outrun the wind above it, then when

It's torn to shreds, it seizes my coattails.