لليلِ سرٌّ يناديني فأنهمرُ

لليلِ سرٌّ يناديني فأنهمرُ

على الوجودِ كأني العودُ والوترُ!

على الوجودِ كأني العودُ والوترُ!

Night has a secret that calls me, and I pour forth

The night has a secret that calls me, and I pour down

over existence, as though I were the reed flute and the string!

upon existence, as though I were the oud and the string!

أحيا، فتلتفتُ الآفاقُ تشربني

أحيا، فتلتفتُ الآفاقُ تشربني

ولفحة الريح والأشعارُ والسهرُ

ولفحة الريح والأشعارُ والسهرُ

I come alive; the horizons gather round and drink me in—

I live, and the horizons turn to drink me in,

as do the gust of wind, poems, and sleeplessness.

and the wind's hot gust, and poems, and wakefulness.

أحبُّها هذه الدنيا، فأُجمِلُها

أحبُّها هذه الدنيا، فأُجمِلُها

ببيتِ شعرٍ كَفَوحِ الورد ينتشرُ!

ببيتِ شعرٍ كَفَوحِ الورد ينتشرُ!

I love it, this world, and so I beautify it;

I love this world, and so I beautify it

in my home, poetry spreads like the wafting fragrance of roses!

with a line of verse that spreads like the fragrance of roses!

حُلمٌ بحُلمٍ أنا، بُعدٌ تعيشُ به

حُلمٌ بحُلمٍ أنا، بُعدٌ تعيشُ به

أبطالُ كُتْبٍ، وشطٌ صخرُهُ القمرُ

أبطالُ كُتْبٍ، وشطٌ صخرُهُ القمرُ

A dream within a dream am I, a distance inhabited by

A dream within a dream am I, a distance where dwell

the heroes of my books and a shore whose rock is the moon.

heroes of books, and a shore whose rock is the moon.

يقرأنني فيقلن: "السهلُ ضجَّ جنىً

يقرأنني فيقلن: "السهلُ ضجَّ جنىً

ومشتهىً، وكحوضٍ أزهرَ الحجرُ!"

ومشتهىً، وكحوضٍ أزهرَ الحجرُ!"

Women read me and say: “The plain clamors with fruit

They read me and say: “The plain resounded with ripe fruit

and desire, and the stone has flowered like a pool!”

and coveted delights, and stone blossomed like a flowerbed!”

حكايةٌ، يا أنا، قد قصَّها غجرٌ

حكايةٌ، يا أنا، قد قصَّها غجرٌ

لطيّبينَ فقالوا: "ليتنا الغجرُ"

لطيّبينَ فقالوا: "ليتنا الغجرُ"

My story, O self, Gypsies once told

A tale, O self, that Gypsies have told

to two kindly souls, who said: “If only we were Gypsies!”

to kind people, who said: “If only we were the Gypsies.”

بها العتوُّ، بها وقعُ القوامِ على

بها العتوُّ، بها وقعُ القوامِ على

زَندٍ، بها شَفَةٌ تسقي وتعتذرُ

زَندٍ، بها شَفَةٌ تسقي وتعتذرُ

In it is imperious pride; in it, the poise of a figure upon

In it is defiance; in it, a body's fall upon

a forearm; in it, a lip that gives drink and apologizes.

a forearm; in it, a lip that gives drink and begs pardon,

تقول: "خُذني وخُذ صُبحَينِ، قطفهُما

تقول: "خُذني وخُذ صُبحَينِ، قطفهُما

ما حرَّمَ اللمسُ لا ما حرَّمَ النظرُ"

ما حرَّمَ اللمسُ لا ما حرَّمَ النظرُ"

She says: “Take me—and take two dawns; plucking them

saying: “Take me, and take two dawns; plucking them

is what touch has forbidden, not what sight has forbidden!”

is what touch has forbidden, not what sight has forbidden.”