يا حُسنَهُ يوماً شهدتُ زفافها

يا حُسنَهُ يوماً شهدتُ زفافها

بنتَ الفضاء إلى الخليج الأزرقِ

بنتَ الفضاء إلى الخليج الأزرقِ

How lovely the day I witnessed her bridal procession,

O beauty, one day I witnessed her wedding

the daughter of the open expanse, to the blue gulf.

The daughter of space to the azure gulf

ورقاءُ كانت أيكة فتصوَّرت

ورقاءُ كانت أيكة فتصوَّرت

لك كيف شئتَ من الحمام الأورقَ

لك كيف شئتَ من الحمام الأورقَ

A gray dove, once a thicket, she took shape

She was graceful, so I imagined for you

for you, however you wished, as one of the ash-gray doves.

However you wished, from the blue pigeon

حيثُ الغرابُ يجرُّ شملةَ عُجبِهِ

حيثُ الغرابُ يجرُّ شملةَ عُجبِهِ

وكأنَّه من عزَّةٍ لم يَنعق

وكأنَّه من عزَّةٍ لم يَنعق

Where the raven trails the cloak of his vanity,

Where the raven drags the garment of its wonder

as though, out of pride, he had never croaked.

As if from a dignity that did not squawk

من كلِّ لابسةِ الشباب ملاءة

من كلِّ لابسةِ الشباب ملاءة

حَسبَ اقتدارِ الصَّانع المتأنّق

حَسبَ اقتدارِ الصَّانع المتأنّق

Each one wears youth as a mantle,

Of every young woman wearing youth’s cloak

according to the skill of the meticulous craftsman.

Judging by the skill of the meticulous Maker

شهدت لهنَّ العينُ أنَّ شواهِناً

شهدت لهنَّ العينُ أنَّ شواهِناً

أسماؤها فتصفحت في المنطق

أسماؤها فتصفحت في المنطق

The eye testified for them that 'falcons'

The eye testified that their allures

were their names; then I scrutinized the wording.

Their names perused in logic

من كلِّ ناشرةٍ قوادمَ أفتخٍ

من كلِّ ناشرةٍ قوادمَ أفتخٍ

وعلى معاطفها فراهةُ شَوذَقِ

وعلى معاطفها فراهةُ شَوذَقِ

Each spreads the primary feathers of a broad-winged eagle,

Of every flirt spreading thighs of incense

and her flanks display a hawk's grace and vigor.

And on their coats the eccentricity of coquetry

زأرت زئيرَ الأسد وهي صوامتٌ

زأرت زئيرَ الأسد وهي صوامتٌ

وزحفهن زَحفَ مراكبٍ في مأزق

وزحفهن زَحفَ مراكبٍ في مأزق

They roared a lion's roar, though they were silent,

She roared the lion’s roar, though silent

and their advance was that of ships in a narrow passage.

And their crawl a crawl of ships in distress

ومجادفٍ تحكي أراقمَ ربوةٍ

ومجادفٍ تحكي أراقمَ ربوةٍ

نزلت لتكرعَ في غديرٍ مُتأقِ

نزلت لتكرعَ في غديرٍ مُتأقِ

And oars resembled the speckled snakes of a hill,

And oars telling the numerals of a hill

that came down to drink from a brimming pool.

That descended to drink in a collected pond

والماءُ في شكلِ الهواءِ فلا ترى

والماءُ في شكلِ الهواءِ فلا ترى

في شكلها إلا جوارحَ تلتقي

في شكلها إلا جوارحَ تلتقي

And the water has the appearance of air, so you see nothing

And the water in the form of air, so you see

in their forms but birds of prey converging.

In its form nothing but meeting talons