ومدَّ ضَبعَيهِ في أعلى مزاحمة

ومدَّ ضَبعَيهِ في أعلى مزاحمة

للنجم ما كانَ عنها النجمُ ينحدرُ

للنجم ما كانَ عنها النجمُ ينحدرُ

And he stretched out both upper arms in the loftiest rivalry

And he stretched out his arms in the loftiest rivalry

with the star—a height from which the star would never descend—

With the star—the star would not descend from there.

كأنّما هُوَ فيها شَخص مُستَرِقٍ

كأنّما هُوَ فيها شَخص مُستَرِقٍ

مُوقَّفٍ لبني الدنيا ليعتبروا

مُوقَّفٍ لبني الدنيا ليعتبروا

as though, in that posture, he were a furtive eavesdropper,

As though he were there the figure of a stealthy thief,

set before the children of this world, that they might take heed.

Set before the people of this world, that they might take heed.