مِن لَيلَةٍ لِلرَعدِ فيها صَرخَةٌ

مِن لَيلَةٍ لِلرَعدِ فيها صَرخَةٌ

لاتُستَطابُ وَلِلحَيا إيقاعُ

لاتُستَطابُ وَلِلحَيا إيقاعُ

From a night in which thunder uttered a shriek,

From a night when thunder roared

unpleasant to hear, while rain beat its rhythm.

A shriek not to be endured, and the serpent's rhythm

خَلَعَت عَلَيَّ بِها رِداءَ غَمامَةٍ

خَلَعَت عَلَيَّ بِها رِداءَ غَمامَةٍ

ريحٌ تُهَلهِلُهُ هُناكَ صَناعُ

ريحٌ تُهَلهِلُهُ هُناكَ صَناعُ

There, a cloak of cloud was bestowed upon me

It cast off on me a cloak of clouds

by a deft wind that frayed it there.

The wind there loosening its edges

وَالصُبحُ قَد صَدَعَ الظَلامَ كَأَنَّهُ

وَالصُبحُ قَد صَدَعَ الظَلامَ كَأَنَّهُ

وَجهٌ وَضيءٌ شَفَّ عَنهُ قِناعُ

وَجهٌ وَضيءٌ شَفَّ عَنهُ قِناعُ

And dawn had split the darkness, as though it were

And dawn had cracked the darkness as though

a radiant face showing through a sheer veil.

It were a bright face from which a mask fell away

فَرَفَلتُ في سَمَلِ الدُجى وَكَأَنَّما

فَرَفَلتُ في سَمَلِ الدُجى وَكَأَنَّما

قَزَعُ السَحابِ بِجانِبَيهِ رِقاعُ

قَزَعُ السَحابِ بِجانِبَيهِ رِقاعُ

So I strutted in night's threadbare robe, as though

So I sauntered in the darkness of nightfall as though

the cloud-wisps on either side of it were patches.

The rending clouds on either side were rags

وَدَفَعتُ في صَدرِ الدُجى عَن مَطلَبٍ

وَدَفَعتُ في صَدرِ الدُجى عَن مَطلَبٍ

بَيني وَبَينَ الدَهرِ فيهِ قِراعُ

بَيني وَبَينَ الدَهرِ فيهِ قِراعُ

And I thrust against the breast of darkness for a goal

And I lunged into the darkness' chest for something

over which Time and I were locked in combat.

Between me and time there was clashing

وَقَبَضتُ ذَيلي رَغبَةً عَن مَعشَرٍ

وَقَبَضتُ ذَيلي رَغبَةً عَن مَعشَرٍ

عوجِ الطِباعِ كَأَنّهُم أَضلاعُ

عوجِ الطِباعِ كَأَنّهُم أَضلاعُ

And I gathered up my hem, shunning a company

And I gathered in my train loathing a tribe

of crooked natures, as though they were ribs,

Crooked in nature as though they were ribs

جارينَ في شَوطِ العِنادِ كَأَنَّهُم

جارينَ في شَوطِ العِنادِ كَأَنَّهُم

سَيلٌ تَلاطَمَ مَوجُهُ دَفّاعُ

سَيلٌ تَلاطَمَ مَوجُهُ دَفّاعُ

racing along the course of obstinacy, as though they were

Rushing in reckless obstinacy like a torrent

a surging torrent whose waves crashed together.

Whose surging waves were charging cavalry

يَرمونَ أَعطافي بِنَظرَةِ إِحنَةٍ

يَرمونَ أَعطافي بِنَظرَةِ إِحنَةٍ

وُقِدَت كَما تُذكي العُيونَ سَباعُ

وُقِدَت كَما تُذكي العُيونَ سَباعُ

They assail my flanks with a rancorous glance,

They stab my flanks with scornful glances

kindled as beasts of prey kindle their eyes.

Kindled as predators' eyes ignite when ravenous

أَفرَغتُ مِن كَلِمي عَلى أَكبادِهِم

أَفرَغتُ مِن كَلِمي عَلى أَكبادِهِم

قَطراً لَهُ أَسماعُهُم أَقماعُ

قَطراً لَهُ أَسماعُهُم أَقماعُ

From my words I poured upon their livers

I emptied my words into their livers

molten copper, with their ears as its funnels.

A dripping their ears were funnels for

وَوَصَلتُ مابَيني وَبَينَ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَوَصَلتُ مابَيني وَبَينَ مُحَمَّدٍ

حَتّى كَأَنّا مِعصَمٌ وَذِراعُ

حَتّى كَأَنّا مِعصَمٌ وَذِراعُ

And I forged a bond between myself and Muhammad,

And I connected myself to Muhammad

until we were like a wrist and a forearm.

As though we were wrist and forearm

فَظَفِرتُ مِنهُ عَلى المَشيبِ بِصاحِبٍ

فَظَفِرتُ مِنهُ عَلى المَشيبِ بِصاحِبٍ

خَلَفِ الشَبابِ فَلي إِلَيهِ نِزاعُ

خَلَفِ الشَبابِ فَلي إِلَيهِ نِزاعُ

So, despite my gray hair, I gained in him a companion

I gained through him in agedness a companion

to take youth's place; for him I yearn.

Beyond youth so contention pulls me to him

قَد كُنتُ أُغلي في اِبتِياعِ وِدادِهِ

قَد كُنتُ أُغلي في اِبتِياعِ وِدادِهِ

لَو أَنَّ أَعلاقَ الوِدادِ تُباعُ

لَو أَنَّ أَعلاقَ الوِدادِ تُباعُ

I would indeed have paid dearly to buy his affection,

I would boil in purchasing his love

if affection's treasures were for sale.

If only the ties of love were sold

وَإِلَيكَها غَرّاءَ لَولا حُسنُها

وَإِلَيكَها غَرّاءَ لَولا حُسنُها

لَم تُفتَقِ الأَبصارُ وَالأَسماعُ

لَم تُفتَقِ الأَبصارُ وَالأَسماعُ

And here it is for you, radiant; but for its beauty,

And to you, coy one, were I to woo

eyes and ears would not have been opened.

Eyes and ears would not be opened

عَبِقَت بِها في كُلِّ كَفٍّ زَهرَةٌ

عَبِقَت بِها في كُلِّ كَفٍّ زَهرَةٌ

فُتِقَت لَها مِن خَمسِها أَقماعُ

فُتِقَت لَها مِن خَمسِها أَقماعُ

In every palm a blossom was fragrant with it,

With it the palms' every handful smells of flowers

with calyxes opened for it from the palm's five fingers.

Unfurled for it from its five petals like funnels