إِنَّ اللَيالي لا دَهَتكَ لَعائِثَه

إِنَّ اللَيالي لا دَهَتكَ لَعائِثَه

فَوَقَيتُ فيكَ يَدَ الزَمانِ العابِثَه

فَوَقَيتُ فيكَ يَدَ الزَمانِ العابِثَه

Indeed, the nights—may they never strike you—are bent on havoc;

Indeed, the nights—may they never afflict you—are surely ravaging;

so I have shielded you, in your own person, from Time’s wanton hand.

so I warded off Time’s meddling hand for your sake.

وَسَلِمتُ مِن خِلٍّ يَعودُ عَلى النَوى

وَسَلِمتُ مِن خِلٍّ يَعودُ عَلى النَوى

كَرَماً فَتَنفَرِجُ الخُطوبُ الكارِثَه

كَرَماً فَتَنفَرِجُ الخُطوبُ الكارِثَه

And I am kept safe by a friend who, despite distance, comes back to my aid,

And I found safety through a friend who visits despite the distance,

out of generosity—so calamitous ordeals are dispelled.

out of generosity, so crushing troubles are dispelled.

فَأَرى بِهِ لِلقَلبِ قَلباً ثانِياً

فَأَرى بِهِ لِلقَلبِ قَلباً ثانِياً

عِزّاً وَلِلعَينَينِ عَيناً ثالِثَه

عِزّاً وَلِلعَينَينِ عَيناً ثالِثَه

Thus in him I see, for my heart, a second heart,

Thus in him I see a second heart for my heart,

a source of strength—and, for my two eyes, a third eye.

a source of strength, and a third eye for my two eyes.