وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَ أَسْوَدَ فاحِماً

وَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ اللَّيْلَ أَسْوَدَ فاحِماً

وَلِلْبَحْرِ وَجْهٌ أَبْيَضٌ راقَ مَرْآهُ

وَلِلْبَحْرِ وَجْهٌ أَبْيَضٌ راقَ مَرْآهُ

And when I saw the night, black as coal,

When I saw the night, jet-black and gloomy,

While the sea had a white face, pleasing to behold,

And the sea with its shining white face,

تَذَكَّرْتُ مِن موسى خَصالاً كَريمَةً

تَذَكَّرْتُ مِن موسى خَصالاً كَريمَةً

سَوادَ سَطاهُ أَو بَياضَ عَطاياهُ

سَوادَ سَطاهُ أَو بَياضَ عَطاياهُ

I recalled noble traits of Musa:

I was reminded of the noble qualities of Moses -

The blackness of his might, or the whiteness of his gifts.

The blackness of his rod, or the whiteness of his gifts.