أضاء ثم تدلى يأفل القمر

كما ارتمت من عل حسناء تنتحر

The moon shone bright then waned to set

Like a beautiful maiden falling to her death

وخريذ كو شهاب لاح منبثقا

كدمعة من عيون الليل تنحدر

And a shooting star flashed into being

Like a teardrop falling from the eyes of night

اما النجوم فكانت فيه خافقة

كأنهن قلوب راعها خطر

As for the stars, in it they throbbed

As though they were hearts troubled by danger

اذ نحن من دجلة في عدوة رحبت

وقد تصافح فيها الماء والشجر

When we were on the spacious bank of the Tigris

Where water and trees mingled

طابت على رملها للصحب ليلتهم

وطاب فيها لهم في جوفها السمر

Their night was blessed on its sands

And the gathering was blessed within its depths

وبعد ذلك ران النوم يغلبهم

على العيون فما قالوا ولا نظروا

After that, sleep overcame them

Their eyes spoke not, nor looked

ناموا سوى عندليب فوق ايكته

يقول شعرا وإما قال يبتكر

All slept except a nightingale in his bush

Who sang poetry or improvised verse

كأنه كان فيما كان يرسله

من الاغاريد يشكو ثم يعتذر

It was as if, in his melodious trills

He complained then made excuses

يشكو الى الليل اشجانا تؤرقه

والليل يصغى اليه وهو معتكر

Complaining to the night of passions that perturbed him

And the night listened to him, veiled in darkness

لقد شجتني شكواه برقتها

وكل صوت رقيق بي له اثر

His laments have wounded me with their intensity

For every delicate sound has an effect on me

افي النهار لسان الشوك آلمه

ام لم يصافحه لما زاره الزهر

By day, did the thorns injure his tongue

Or did the flowers not visit when he called?

ام هدمت عشه الغربان قادرة

عليه وهو ضعيف ليس يقتدر

Or did the ravens destroy his nest

Overpowering him, while he was helpless?

ام غاب عنه فلما ثاب مفتقدا

الفاه قد قام فيه حية ذكر

Or did his love disappear, and when she returned

He found in her place a slithering snake?

نزا على البان غريداً فهزهزه

حتى تظنيت ان البان ينأطر

He sang from the branch, shaking it

Until I thought the branch would snap

سمعت شهقته في فرع ايكته

فخيل لي انها الآمال تنفجر

I heard his sobs from the branch of his bush

It seemed to me bursting hopes

وخيل لي انها نار مؤججة

ينبث منها الى اطرافها الشرر

It seemed a raging fire

Its sparks scattering in all directions

وخيل لي انها باتت بارديتي

والصدر مني والاعصاب تستعر

It seemed my soul and nerves were aflame

While my breast and composure burned

صوت له شجوه كالسهم منطلق

وربه في ضمير الليل مستتر

A voice whose sorrows pierced like arrows

While its source hid in the night’s conscience

وصحت اسمعه شعري واعلمه

اني كما هو شاد ماله وزر

I called to him, telling him to hear my poetry

And know I, like him, am free of blame or burden

شعر حكى العين معناه يفيض اسى

ولفظه دمع تلك العين ينهمر

Verse that portrays the eye’s meaning overflowing misery

Its words the tears of that eye pouring down

انا شبيهان في البلوى بمجتمع

فيه كلانا لقاء الموت ينتظر

We are alike in affliction, in a society

Where both of us await the meeting of death

اجل كلانا اذا ما اللَه لم يقه

شلو على الارض ملقى او دم هدر

Indeed both our endings, unless God protects us

Will be prone on earth, spilled blood or lifeless