حَبَّذَاhow lovely فِيin مُلْتَقَىgathering place الأحْبَابِthe loved ones
حَبَّذَا فِي مُلْتَقَى الأحْبَابِ
هَذَاthis اللَّيْلُthe night لَيْلاَas a night
هَذَا اللَّيْلُ لَيْلاَ
How lovely, amid the gathering of loved ones,
They delighted in the gathering place of dear friends
is this night!
On this night, a night
يَجْمَعُbrings together البَدْرُthe full moon الثرَيَّاthe Pleiades (Thurayya)
يَجْمَعُ البَدْرُ الثرَيَّا
فِيهِin it تُجْلَىshe is unveiled وَسُهيْلاَand Suhayl (Canopus)
فِيهِ تُجْلَى وَسُهيْلاَ
The full moon brings together the Pleiades,
The full moon brings together Pleiades
unveiled that night, and Suhayl,
In it Suhail shines brightly
وَاعِداًpromising أَنْthat يَغْدُواthey both become شَمْلاًa united family
وَاعِداً أَنْ يَغْدُوا شَمْلاً
وقَدْand already كَانَاthe two had been نُسَيلاَoffspring (diminutive)
وقَدْ كَانَا نُسَيلاَ
promising that the two would become one family,
Promising to unite
though they had been but offspring.
What was once disunited
وتُلَذand delights القِينَةthe songstress السَّمْعَthe ear
وتُلَذ القِينَة السَّمْعَ
بِشَدْوٍwith singing مَاhow أُحيلىsweet (affectionate diminutive)
بِشَدْوٍ مَا أُحيلى
And the songstress delights the ear
The companionship listening is sweetened
with singing—how sweet!
With a song never heard before
وَيَضُمُّand brings together المُنْتَدىthe gathering place البَحْرِthe sea (first part of 'maritime')
وَيَضُمُّ المُنْتَدى البَحْرِ
يُّadjectival suffix completing 'maritime' صَحْباًcompanions وأُهَيْلاَand dear kin
يُّ صَحْباً وأُهَيْلاَ
And the maritime club brings together
And the sea encircles the harbor
companions and dear kin.
With friends and loved ones
وَعَرُوسُand the bride الطهْرِpurity تُدْعَىis called
وَعَرُوسُ الطهْرِ تُدْعَى
كَعَرُوسِlike the bride of الشِّعْرِpoetry لَيْلىLayla
كَعَرُوسِ الشِّعْرِ لَيْلى
And the bride of purity is called,
And the bride of purity is called
like the bride of poetry, Layla.
Like Layla the bride of poetry
Sol 6.1