لاحَتْ من الغربِ في وقتِ الغُروب لنا

لاحَتْ من الغربِ في وقتِ الغُروب لنا

عذراءُ كالشَّمسِ أنشَتْ في الدُّجَى سَحَرا

عذراءُ كالشَّمسِ أنشَتْ في الدُّجَى سَحَرا

She appeared to us from the west at sunset—

She appeared to us from the west at sunset,

a maiden like the sun, bringing forth dawn amid the darkness.

A maiden like the sun, who brought forth dawn in the darkness.

ظَننتُها كالعَذارَى ثَغرُها دُرَرٌ

ظَننتُها كالعَذارَى ثَغرُها دُرَرٌ

حتى اختبَرتُ فكانت كلُّها دُرَرا

حتى اختبَرتُ فكانت كلُّها دُرَرا

I thought her like other maidens, with pearls in her mouth,

I thought her like the maidens: her mouth was pearls,

until I put her to the test—and found her wholly pearls.

Until I tested her—and she proved to be entirely pearls.