فَنَنٌa bough عَلىupon دِعصٍa sand dune تَأَلَّقَgleamed فَوقَهُabove it
فَنَنٌ عَلى دِعصٍ تَأَلَّقَ فَوقَهُ
بَدرٌa full moon يُضيءُgrows bright بِهِby it الظَلامُthe darkness العاكِفُthe lingering
بَدرٌ يُضيءُ بِهِ الظَلامُ العاكِفُ
A bough upon a sand dune; above it gleamed
A star shone brightly above a hilltop,
A full moon by whose light the lingering darkness brightens.
A moon illuminating the lingering darkness.
فاقَتexcelled مَحاسِنُهُhis charms وَكُلُّand every مُسَربَلٍrobed
فاقَت مَحاسِنُهُ وَكُلُّ مُسَربَلٍ
بِالحُسنِin beauty عَنshort of أَدنىthe least مَداهُhis reach واقِفُstanding
بِالحُسنِ عَن أَدنى مَداهُ واقِفُ
His charms excelled, and everyone robed
Its beauty surpassed all other luminaries,
In beauty falls short of even his least measure.
Excelling in splendor beyond compare.
فَإِذاso when بَدَتappeared شَمسُthe sun النَهارِof day وَوَجهُهُand his face
فَإِذا بَدَت شَمسُ النَهارِ وَوَجهُهُ
رَجَعَتit retreated وَلَونُand the hue النورِof the light مِنهاfrom it كاسِفُdim
رَجَعَت وَلَونُ النورِ مِنها كاسِفُ
So when the sun of day and his face appear,
When the sun of daytime rose, its face
It retreats, the hue of its light grown dim.
Eclipsed the moonlight, outshining its glow.
فَردُpeerless المَحاسِنِthe charms لاnot يَقومُcan do justice بِوَصفِهِto describing him
فَردُ المَحاسِنِ لا يَقومُ بِوَصفِهِ
أَبَداًever وَإِنand even if بَلَغَreached النِهايَةَthe utmost واصِفُa describer
أَبَداً وَإِن بَلَغَ النِهايَةَ واصِفُ
Peerless in beauty—none can describe him fully,
No words can ever fully convey its beauty,
Ever, even if a describer reaches the utmost.
Though the most eloquent poets strive in vain.
Sol 6.1