وليل كأني فيه انسان ناظر

وليل كأني فيه انسان ناظر

يقلب في الآفاق جفنيه عاليا

يقلب في الآفاق جفنيه عاليا

Many a night, within it, I seemed a wakeful watcher,

And many a night I was like the pupil of an eye,

sweeping his gaze across the horizons on high;

turning its two eyelids aloft amid the horizons.

إذا ما أمالتني به نشوة الكرى

إذا ما أمالتني به نشوة الكرى

تمايل في كفي المثقف صاحيا

تمايل في كفي المثقف صاحيا

whenever the intoxication of slumber made me sway in it,

Whenever the intoxication of slumber tilted me within it,

the straightened spear in my hand swayed, still awake.

the straightened spear swayed in my hand, wakeful.

ولما طمى لج المنى بين أضلعي

ولما طمى لج المنى بين أضلعي

تعسفت لجاً من دجا الليل طاميا

تعسفت لجاً من دجا الليل طاميا

And when the deep sea of longing surged between my ribs,

And when the deep sea of hopes surged between my ribs,

I plunged, pathless, through a swelling sea of night's darkness;

I forced my way through a swelling sea of night's darkness.

فأمسي شجاً في ظلمة الليل والجاً

فأمسي شجاً في ظلمة الليل والجاً

وأضحي قذى في مقلة الصبح غاديا

وأضحي قذى في مقلة الصبح غاديا

thus I became a choking thorn to the darkness and the mountains,

So at evening I entered night's darkness, a choking bone,

and come morning, journeying on, a mote in dawn's eye.

and in the morning went forth, a mote in dawn's eye.

حسامي نديمي والكواكب روضتي

حسامي نديمي والكواكب روضتي

وبيت السرى ساقي والسير راجبا

وبيت السرى ساقي والسير راجبا

My sword was my companion, and the stars my garden;

My sword is my boon companion, and the stars my garden.

night-journey's lodging was my cupbearer, and travel my wine.

And night travel's abode is my cupbearer, and travel is reverent [final phrase unclear].

ولما رأى الشيخ الجليل اقامتي

ولما رأى الشيخ الجليل اقامتي

عليه وتطليقي لديه المهاريا

عليه وتطليقي لديه المهاريا

And when the venerable sheikh saw me make my stay

And when the venerable elder saw me staying

with him, and loose the Mahri camels at his abode,

with him, and parting from the Mahri camels in his presence,

دعاني وادناني وقرب منزلي

دعاني وادناني وقرب منزلي

ورحب بي وانتاشني واصطفانيا

ورحب بي وانتاشني واصطفانيا

he summoned me, drew me near, and brought my lodging close;

he called me, drew me near, and brought my lodging close,

he welcomed me, lifted me up, and chose me for his own—

and welcomed me, rescued me, and singled me out.

همام يبكي المشرفية ساخطا

همام يبكي المشرفية ساخطا

ويضحك أبكار الأماني راضيا

ويضحك أبكار الأماني راضيا

a magnanimous lord who makes Mashrafī blades weep when wrathful,

A noble hero who makes the Mashrafi swords weep when angry,

and makes virgin hopes smile when pleased.

and, when pleased, makes the virgins of hope laugh.

ولو أن بحراً يستطيع ترقياً

ولو أن بحراً يستطيع ترقياً

اليه لأم البحر جدواه راجيا

اليه لأم البحر جدواه راجيا

And if an ocean could climb its way toward him,

And if a sea were able to ascend

the ocean would seek his bounty, full of hope.

to him, the sea would seek him out, hoping for his bounty.

وما شرف الانسان الا بنفسه

وما شرف الانسان الا بنفسه

أكان ذووه سادة أم مواليا

أكان ذووه سادة أم مواليا

A person's honor lies in the self alone,

And a man's nobility lies in himself alone,

whether his kinsfolk are lords or clients.

whether his kin were lords or clients.