يا صاحبي قد لبس الدجى

يا صاحبي قد لبس الدجى

وكواكب الظلماء لم تتقوض

وكواكب الظلماء لم تتقوض

O my companion, darkness has already robed itself,

My friend, darkness has fallen

and the stars of the dark night have not fallen away.

And the stars of gloom have not faded

حيث المجرة في السماء كأنها

حيث المجرة في السماء كأنها

ماء جوانبه تشاب بعرمض

ماء جوانبه تشاب بعرمض

Where the Milky Way in the sky is like

Where the galaxy in the sky is as though

water whose edges are mingled with algae.

Its edges resemble scattered ashes

أو ما ترى كون السماء كأنه

أو ما ترى كون السماء كأنه

ترس يناط من الهلال بمقيض

ترس يناط من الهلال بمقيض

Or do you not see the sky's form, as though it were

Or do you not see the sky as though

a shield suspended from the crescent moon by a handle?

It is a shield strapped with a crescent moon

وكأن كل شهاب رجم ثاقب

وكأن كل شهاب رجم ثاقب

سهم أصاب وربه لم ينبض

سهم أصاب وربه لم ينبض

And every piercing meteor, a missile for stoning, is like

And as if every shooting star is a piercing arrow

an arrow that has hit its mark, though its archer has not twanged the bowstring;

That has hit its target but its Lord has not stirred

أو إبرة نفذت رداء أزرقاً

أو إبرة نفذت رداء أزرقاً

والنور يتبعه كخيط أبيض

والنور يتبعه كخيط أبيض

or a needle that has pierced a blue cloak,

Or a needle that pierced a blue gown

and the light follows it like a white thread.

And the light follows it like a white thread