أَتَتنا وَجنحُ اللَيلِ مُنسَدِلُ السَّترِ

أَتَتنا وَجنحُ اللَيلِ مُنسَدِلُ السَّترِ

فَأغنى سَناها الطَّرفَ عَن طَلعةِ البَدرِ

فَأغنى سَناها الطَّرفَ عَن طَلعةِ البَدرِ

She came to us as night’s wing let down its veil.

She came to us with night’s wing draped in its veil;

Her radiance spared the eye the need for the full moon’s rising.

So her radiance left the eye no need of the full moon’s face.

رَواحٌ غَدَتْ قَيدَ العُيون بِحُسنِها

رَواحٌ غَدَتْ قَيدَ العُيون بِحُسنِها

وَقَد بَرَزَت تَختالُ في حِبَر الحبرِ

وَقَد بَرَزَت تَختالُ في حِبَر الحبرِ

An evening visitor, her beauty holding every gaze captive.

Rawāḥ became a fetter for the eyes through her beauty,

She came forth, strutting in the scholar’s finery.

And she had emerged, strutting in the brocades of ink.

جَلاها لَنا مَن جالَ في حَلبَةِ النُهى

جَلاها لَنا مَن جالَ في حَلبَةِ النُهى

فَجَلّى عَلى الأَقرانِ في النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

فَجَلّى عَلى الأَقرانِ في النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ

Displayed to us by one who ranges through the arena of intellects,

He who ranged through reason’s arena unveiled her to us,

and thus he outshone his peers in verse and prose.

And outstripped his peers in verse and prose.

فَوافَت ذَوي الأَلبابِ تُسفرُ عَن هُدىً

فَوافَت ذَوي الأَلبابِ تُسفرُ عَن هُدىً

وَتنطقُ عَن حُكمٍ وَتَفتَرُّ عَن سِحرِ

وَتنطقُ عَن حُكمٍ وَتَفتَرُّ عَن سِحرِ

She came to people of understanding, unveiling guidance,

So she came to those of understanding, unveiling guidance,

speaking wisdom and smiling forth enchantment.

And speaks with judgment, and smiles to reveal enchantment.

هِيَ البِكر قَد بَوأتُها عَرشَ خاطِري

هِيَ البِكر قَد بَوأتُها عَرشَ خاطِري

فَأَصبحَ إِذ حَلَّت بِهِ هَيكَل البكرِ

فَأَصبحَ إِذ حَلَّت بِهِ هَيكَل البكرِ

She is the maiden; I have enthroned her upon the throne of my mind.

She is the virgin; I have seated her on my mind’s throne,

And when she took her place there, it became the Virgin’s shrine.

So, when she dwelt in it, it became the virgin’s temple.

أَقامَ بِهِ جبريلُ وَهوَ نَجيُّها

أَقامَ بِهِ جبريلُ وَهوَ نَجيُّها

يُلقِّنها مِن وَحيهِ أَيَّما سِرِّ

يُلقِّنها مِن وَحيهِ أَيَّما سِرِّ

There Gabriel dwelt, her intimate confidant,

Gabriel dwelt there as her confidant,

imparting to her from his revelation a most wondrous mystery.

Imparting to her, from his revelation, a wondrous secret.

حَقائقُ عَصرٍ قَد جَلاها فَأَقبَلَت

حَقائقُ عَصرٍ قَد جَلاها فَأَقبَلَت

تُنادي بِأَربابِ الغِوايةِ وَالعَصرِ

تُنادي بِأَربابِ الغِوايةِ وَالعَصرِ

Truths of an age he laid bare, and forth they came,

Truths of an age he had unveiled, and they came forth,

calling alike to the lords of error and the leaders of the age.

Calling to the masters of error and of the age.

فَيا أَيُّها النَدبُ الذَكيُّ وَمَن لَهُ

فَيا أَيُّها النَدبُ الذَكيُّ وَمَن لَهُ

بَدائعُ في الآدابِ جَلَّت عَن الحَصرِ

بَدائعُ في الآدابِ جَلَّت عَن الحَصرِ

O gifted, discerning champion—you whose

So, O gallant, keen-witted man, and you whose

literary masterpieces are beyond all counting—

Marvels in letters are too great to count,

لَكَ اللَهُ ما أَبديتَ مِن نورِ حكمةٍ

لَكَ اللَهُ ما أَبديتَ مِن نورِ حكمةٍ

جَهاراً وَطَبعُ النُور يَأبى سِوى الجَهرِ

جَهاراً وَطَبعُ النُور يَأبى سِوى الجَهرِ

God bless you for the light of wisdom you have revealed

God be with you! What light of wisdom you have revealed

openly; for light by nature refuses anything but full display.

Openly—and light’s nature refuses all but openness.

فَدُم ناصِراً لِلحَق مُنتَصِراً بِهِ

فَدُم ناصِراً لِلحَق مُنتَصِراً بِهِ

عَلى تُرهات الزور واسلم مَدى الدَهر

عَلى تُرهات الزور واسلم مَدى الدَهر

Remain, then, a champion of truth, triumphant through it

So remain a champion of truth, victorious through it

over falsehood’s absurdities; and fare well forever.

Over falsehood’s absurdities, and fare well for all time.