يا من بدا ورنا فلاح

البدر لي ورنا الغزال

O you who appeared and gazed—then there shone

the full moon before me, and the gazelle gazed.

من ذا يقيسك بالهلال

ونقصهِ ولك الكمال

Who could ever compare you to the crescent,

when it is imperfect and perfection is yours?

أم من يقول الشمسُ

مثلك بهجةً ولها زوال

Or who could say the sun

equals you in splendor, when it must pass away?

خالفتها وخلفتها

أفقاً وأمَّرك الدلال

You differed from her and left her behind

upon the horizon, while coy grace crowned you sovereign.

فالشرق مطلعها وأنت

الشمس مطلعك الشمال

For the east is where she rises, while you—

the sun—rise from the north.