1. هو الليل ما لليل من صبوةٍ بدّ

    ولا لشجون الليل عن مهجتي ردّ

    It is night; the night has no escape from passionate longing,

    Nor can the night's sorrows be kept from my heart.

  2. توهجت الحمّى وثار شرارها

    وفي أضلع المحموم من نارها وقد

    The fever flared, and its sparks rose,

    And within the fevered one's ribs, its fire blazes.

  3. أصابرها حيناً وحينا أصدّها

    بعزمة مشبوب الفؤاد فتنصدّ

    I withstand it a while, and at times repel it,

    With the resolve of one whose heart is aflame, so it recoils.

  4. تعجبت للحمّى تزور جوانحي

    وليس لها عندي إذا وفدت ورد

    I marvelled at the fever visiting my breast,

    Yet when it arrives, there is no water here for it to drink.

  5. أتأكل نارا وهي نار ولم تكن

    بأخطر مني حين تطغى وتشتدّ

    Does it devour fire, though it is fire itself and has not been

    More dangerous than I when it rages and grows fierce?

  6. إلى مهدك المشئوم عودي ذميمة

    فما لك في بيتي على رحبه مهد

    Return to your ill-omened cradle, loathsome one;

    For in my house, spacious though it is, there is no cradle for you.

  7. أتمسى ضلوعي طعمة لغريمة

    طفيلية يضرى بها الأسد الورد

    Are my ribs to become food for a foe—

    A parasite that rouses the tawny lion to fury?

  8. وهل مات بالحمى الغضنفر مرة

    وفي كل يوم من لظاها له عهد

    And has the mighty lion ever died of fever,

    Though every day he is acquainted with its blaze?

  9. توقد عينيه لهول أوارها

    فتنفر خوفا من أذاه وترتد

    It sets his eyes ablaze with its terrifying heat,

    Then it flees in fear of harm from him, and retreats.

  10. خذي الدرس يا حمّى خذيه وأقلعي

    ولا ترجعي إني إذا عدت قد أعدو

    Take the lesson, O fever—take it, and desist;

    And do not return: indeed, if you return, I may attack.

  11. سأعدو وللعدوان مني عواقبٌ

    يصاولها الحصن الأشمّ فينهدّ

    I shall attack, and my assault has consequences:

    The towering fortress grapples with them, then collapses.