وَمَرَّ بِأَكنافِ اللِوى خاطِرُ الصِبا

وَمَرَّ بِأَكنافِ اللِوى خاطِرُ الصِبا

فَحَرَّضَ شَوقاً لا يَزالُ يُحَرَّضُ

فَحَرَّضَ شَوقاً لا يَزالُ يُحَرَّضُ

And through al-Liwā’s precincts passed the memory of youth,

And a thought of youth passed through the outskirts of al-Liwā,

and roused a longing that never ceases to be roused,

and stirred a longing that never ceases to be stirred,

بِلَيلٍ كَما تَرنو الغَزالَةُ أَسوَدُ

بِلَيلٍ كَما تَرنو الغَزالَةُ أَسوَدُ

عَلى أَنَّهُ مِن نورِ وَجهِكَ أَبيَضُ

عَلى أَنَّهُ مِن نورِ وَجهِكَ أَبيَضُ

on a night black as a gazelle’s gazing eye,

on a night as black as a gazelle’s gaze,

though white with the radiance of your face.

though it is white from the light of your face.

كَواكِبُهُ زُهرٌ وَصُفرٌ كَأَنَّها

كَواكِبُهُ زُهرٌ وَصُفرٌ كَأَنَّها

قَبائِعُ مِنها مُذَهَّبٌ وَمُفَضَّضُ

قَبائِعُ مِنها مُذَهَّبٌ وَمُفَضَّضُ

Its stars are radiant white and yellow, as though they were

Its stars are bright white and yellow, as though they were

sword-pommels, some gilded and others silvered.

sword pommels, some gilded and others silvered.