وَلَيلَةٍ مِنَ اللَيالي الزُهر

وَلَيلَةٍ مِنَ اللَيالي الزُهر

قابَلتُ فيها بَدرها بِبدري

قابَلتُ فيها بَدرها بِبدري

And a night among the radiant nights—

And on a night of many nights the full moon

I set its full moon face to face with mine.

I met within it, my moon with hers

لَم تَكُ غَير شَفق وَفَجر

لَم تَكُ غَير شَفق وَفَجر

حَتّى تَوَلّت وَهيَ بِكرُ الدَّهر

حَتّى تَوَلّت وَهيَ بِكرُ الدَّهر

It was no more than twilight and dawn

It was nothing but sunset and dawn

Before it slipped away, still time’s maiden.

Until it revolved, though at the start of time