وليلة كأنّها طول الأمل

وليلة كأنّها طول الأمل

ظلامُها كالدهر ما فيه خَلَل

ظلامُها كالدهر ما فيه خَلَل

And a night that seemed as long as hope,

A night that seems as long as hope

Its darkness was like eternity, without a gap.

Its darkness like time without flaw

كأنّما الاصباحُ فيها باطلٌ

كأنّما الاصباحُ فيها باطلٌ

أزهقه اللَه لحقٍّ فبطل

أزهقه اللَه لحقٍّ فبطل

As though daybreak within it were falsehood,

As if the morning in it is false

Which God had destroyed for truth’s sake, so it came to nothing.

God ended it for truth so it is void

ساعاتُها أطولُ من يوم النوى

ساعاتُها أطولُ من يوم النوى

وليلة الهجر وساعاتِ العَذَل

وليلة الهجر وساعاتِ العَذَل

Its hours were longer than the day of parting,

Its hours longer than the day of parting

And the night of estrangement and the hours of reproach.

And the night of separation and hours of anguish

موصدةٌ على الورى ابوابُها

موصدةٌ على الورى ابوابُها

كالنار لا يخرجُ منها من دَخَل

كالنار لا يخرجُ منها من دَخَل

Its gates were shut upon humankind,

Shut to mankind are its doors

Like the Fire: none who enters it comes out.

Like fire none leaves once entered