وليلٍ بعيدُ الجانبينِ سهرته

وليلٍ بعيدُ الجانبينِ سهرته

مع النجم حتى مقلتي ليس تطبقُ

مع النجم حتى مقلتي ليس تطبقُ

And a night whose two ends lay far apart I spent awake,

Long was the night whose sides I passed in wakefulness

with the stars, until my eye would not close.

With a star, until my eyelids would no more shut.

وقد جنحتْ فيه الثريا كأنها

وقد جنحتْ فيه الثريا كأنها

على عاتقِ الجوزاءِ قرطٌ معلقُ

على عاتقِ الجوزاءِ قرطٌ معلقُ

And in it the Pleiades had inclined, as though they were

In it the Pleiades had inclined, as though

an earring hanging upon Orion’s shoulder.

A necklace hung upon the shoulder of the Camel-driver.