وَلَيلٍand a night كَلَونِlike the color of الهَجرِseparation وَظُلمَةِand the darkness of الحِبرِink
وَلَيلٍ كَلَونِ الهَجرِ وَظُلمَةِ الحِبرِ
نَصَبناwe erected لِداجِيهِagainst its darkness عَمُوداًa pillar مِنَof التِبرِgold
نَصَبنا لِداجِيهِ عَمُوداً مِنَ التِبرِ
On a night the color of separation, dark as ink,
we raised against its gloom a pillar of gold.
يَشُقُّit rends جَلابيبَthe cloaks of الدُجىdarkness فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though
يَشُقُّ جَلابيبَ الدُجى فَكَأَنَّما
نَرىwe see بَينَbetween أَيديناour hands عَموداًa pillar مِنَof الفَجرِdawn
نَرى بَينَ أَيدينا عَموداً مِنَ الفَجرِ
It rends the cloaks of darkness, as though
we see before us a pillar of dawn.
يُحاكيit mirrors رُواءَthe appearance of العاشِقينَlovers بِلَونِهِin its color
يُحاكي رُواءَ العاشِقينَ بِلَونِهِ
وَذَوبِand the melting of حَشاهُits heart وَالدُموعُand the tears الَّتيthat تَجريflow
وَذَوبِ حَشاهُ وَالدُموعُ الَّتي تَجري
It mirrors lovers' appearance in its hue,
and in its melting heart and the tears that flow.
خَلاexcept أَنthat جاريflowing الدَمعَtears يَنحلُهُbestow upon it قُوىًstrength
خَلا أَن جاري الدَمعَ يَنحلُهُ قُوىً
وَعَهدِيand my experience بِدَمعِwith the tears of العَينِthe eye يَنحَلُّwastes away إِذas يَجريit flows
وَعَهدِي بِدَمعِ العَينِ يَنحَلُّ إِذ يَجري
Except that its flowing tears bestow strength upon it,
while with the eye's tears, I know, comes wasting as they flow.
تَبدّىit appeared لَناto us كَالغُصنِlike a branch قَدّاًin stature وَفَوقَهُand above it
تَبدّى لَنا كَالغُصنِ قَدّاً وَفَوقَهُ
شُعاعٌa radiance كَأَنّاas though we مِنهُfrom it فيin لَيلَةِthe night of البَدرِthe full moon
شُعاعٌ كَأَنّا مِنهُ في لَيلَةِ البَدرِ
It appeared to us branch-like in stature, and above it
a radiance, as though by its light we were in a full-moon night.
تَحمّلَit bore نوراًa light حَتفُهُits death فيهِwithin it كامِنٌlurking
تَحمّلَ نوراً حَتفُهُ فيهِ كامِنٌ
وَفيهِand within it حَياةُthe life of الأُنسِcompanionship وَاللَهوِand merriment لَوif only يَدريit knew
وَفيهِ حَياةُ الأُنسِ وَاللَهوِ لَو يَدري
It bore a light in which its own death lay hidden,
yet in it lies the life of companionship and mirth, if only it knew.
تَراهُyou see it يَدبُّit creeps الدَهرَcontinually فيin بَريِwhittling away جِسمِهِits body
تَراهُ يَدبُّ الدَهرَ في بَريِ جِسمِهِ
وَقَدand indeed كانَit was أَولىmore fitting أَنto يَريشَnourish وَلاand not يَبريpare away
وَقَد كانَ أَولى أَن يَريشَ وَلا يَبري
You see it ever creeping, whittling its body away,
though it ought to nourish it, not pare it down.
إِذاif ماever عَرتهُbefalls it عِلَّةٌan ailment جُذَّis severed رَأسُهُits head
إِذا ما عَرتهُ عِلَّةٌ جُذَّ رَأسُهُ
فَيَختالُthen it struts فيin ثَوبٍa robe جَديدٍnew مِنَof العُمرِlife
فَيَختالُ في ثَوبٍ جَديدٍ مِنَ العُمرِ
If ever an ailment befalls it, its head is severed,
then it struts in a new robe of life.
Sol 6.1