أَصَعِدْتَ مُرْتَفِعاً إلى أَوْجِ السَّما

فَنَظَمْتَ في ذا الطِّرْسِ تِلكَ الأَنْجُما

You ascended loftily to the zenith of the sky,

And composed in that crown those stars,

أَمْ غُصْتَ في البَحْرِ الخِضَمِّ فَجِئْتَ بالدّ

رِّ الثَّمينِ مُنَقِّباً ومُنَظِّما

Or did you dive into the deep sea and come out

With precious pearls, searching and stringing them,

أَمْ سِحْرُ هارُوتٍ ومارُوتٍ أَتَى

مِنْ بابِلٍ وإلَى قَصائِدِكَ انْتَمى

Or is it the magic of Harut and Marut

That came from Babylon and belonged to your poems.