لعمركby your life ليسis not مَنone who فيin الليلِthe night حيكتwere woven
لعمرك ليس مَن في الليلِ حيكت
قَوافِيهِhis rhymes وأنجمهُand its stars يُناجيhe communes with
قَوافِيهِ وأنجمهُ يُناجي
By your life, one whose rhymes were woven at night,
By your life, none in the night have woven
and who communes with its stars,
its rhymes and stars converse
بأشعَرَa finer poet عندin the eyes of بعضsome الناسthe people ممّنthan one who
بأشعَرَ عند بعض الناس ممّن
يرقّعهاhe patches them up علىby ضوءِlight السّراجِthe lamp
يرقّعها على ضوءِ السّراجِ
is no finer a poet, in some people's eyes, than one
with more feeling than some folks
who patches them up by the light of a lamp.
who patch them by lamplight