دبَّ العذارُ عَلى ميدان وُجنَتِهِ

دبَّ العذارُ عَلى ميدان وُجنَتِهِ

حَتّى اِذا كادَ أَن يَسعى بِهِ وَقَفا

حَتّى اِذا كادَ أَن يَسعى بِهِ وَقَفا

The sideburn crept over the field of his cheek,

The rain pattered on the meadow and its groves

Until, just as it was about to run across it, it stopped.

Until, when it seemed about to move on, it stopped,

كَأَنَّهُ كاتِبٌ عَزِّ المداد لَه

كَأَنَّهُ كاتِبٌ عَزِّ المداد لَه

أَرادَ يَكتُبُ لاماً فَاِبتَدا أَلِفا

أَرادَ يَكتُبُ لاماً فَاِبتَدا أَلِفا

As though it were a scribe for whom ink was scarce:

As though it were a scribe, short of ink,

He wished to write a lām, so he began with an alif.

Who wanted to write a 'l' but started with an 'a'.