شعر كعب بن زهير – وليلة مشتاق كأن نجومها

Poem Translation:

And O that night of yearning, strange and deep,
When stars like scattered gems refused to sleep;
As though from verdant cloaks they slipped away,
To drift alone across the sky’s array.

Poem Explanation:

This verse by Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr paints an image of a night filled with longing. The poet compares the stars in the sky to scattered objects, suggesting they’ve slipped out of green cloaks (possibly a metaphor for the sky or clouds). The idea evokes a surreal moment—when emotion alters perception—and the stars, instead of forming orderly constellations, seem disjointed, echoing the unrest in the heart of the yearning lover. The use of rich, metaphorical language creates a dreamlike, melancholic tone.