ولقد نزلت ولا أغشّك منزلاً

ولقد نزلت ولا أغشّك منزلاً

جنَّ الغمام به فليس يفيقُ

جنَّ الغمام به فليس يفيقُ

And indeed I lodged—I do not deceive you—in a dwelling,

I descended, and do not deceive you, to an abode

Where the clouds went mad and never come to their senses.

The clouds closed in upon it, so it does not awaken

حلَّت خيوط المزن فوق بيوته

حلَّت خيوط المزن فوق بيوته

فإذا مخيطات البناء فتوقُ

فإذا مخيطات البناء فتوقُ

The rainclouds' threads descended over its houses,

The ropes of fate settled upon its homes

And lo, the building's stitched seams are gaping rents.

So the stitchings of the building long

فالباكيانِ نواظرٌ وسحائبٌ

فالباكيانِ نواظرٌ وسحائبٌ

والضاحكانِ شوامتٌ وبروق

والضاحكانِ شوامتٌ وبروق

So the two that weep are eyes and clouds,

The weeping have glances and clouds

And the two that laugh are gloaters and lightning.

And the laughing have gloating and lightning

بتنا نصفّ بها الدّنان وخمرها

بتنا نصفّ بها الدّنان وخمرها

ماءٌ وكلُّ سقوفه راووق

ماءٌ وكلُّ سقوفه راووق

We spent the night lining up wine jars there, and their wine

We spent the night in it halving the bright coins and its wine

Was water, and every one of its roofs a wine-strainer.

Water, and all its ceilings leak