وَسارِيَةٍ كَاللَّيلِ لَكن نُجومها

وَسارِيَةٍ كَاللَّيلِ لَكن نُجومها

عَلى إِثر ما يَطلُعنَ فيها غَوائِرُ

عَلى إِثر ما يَطلُعنَ فيها غَوائِرُ

And a night-roaming cloud, like the night—but its stars

With hair as dark as the night, but its stars

sink from sight as soon as they rise within it.

Appear after the ringlets that emerge in it.

فَلما اِستَدارَت في الهَواءِ كَأَنَّها

فَلما اِستَدارَت في الهَواءِ كَأَنَّها

عُقابٌ مَتى ما يَخفقِ البَرقُ كاسِرُ

عُقابٌ مَتى ما يَخفقِ البَرقُ كاسِرُ

Then, when it wheeled in the air, it seemed like

When it sways in the air, it looks

an eagle stooping whenever the lightning flashed.

Like a falcon when lightning flashes and breaks.

وَشَمَّت دَوانيها الرُّبى بِأنوفِها

وَشَمَّت دَوانيها الرُّبى بِأنوفِها

كَما شَمَّ أَكفالَ العَذارى الضَّفائِرُ

كَما شَمَّ أَكفالَ العَذارى الضَّفائِرُ

And its low-hanging fringes sniffed the hills with their noses,

Its braids smelled the meadows with their noses

as braids sniff the haunches of maidens.

As young girls smell their plaits.

هَوت مِثلَما تَهوي العُقابُ كَأَنَّها

هَوت مِثلَما تَهوي العُقابُ كَأَنَّها

تَخافُ فَواتَ المحل فَهيَ تبادرُ

تَخافُ فَواتَ المحل فَهيَ تبادرُ

It swooped as an eagle swoops, as though it

It fell as the falcon falls as if

feared drought might escape it, and so hastened.

It fears missing the place, so it hurries.

كَأَنَّ اِنتِثارَ القطرِ فيهِ ضَوابِطٌ

كَأَنَّ اِنتِثارَ القطرِ فيهِ ضَوابِطٌ

تُدارُ عَلى الغُدران مِنهُ دَوائِرُ

تُدارُ عَلى الغُدران مِنهُ دَوائِرُ

As though the raindrops scattered in it were compasses,

As if the scattering of rain in it has orbits

from which circles were traced upon the pools.

That revolve around the cheeks in circles.