لَقَد سَرَّني أَنَّ الهِلالَ غُدَيَّةً

بَدا وَهوَ مَمشوقُ الخَيالِ دَقيقُ

I rejoiced that the crescent moon at dawn

It pleased me that the crescent moon, in the early morning,

Appeared delicate and imaginative

Appeared with a slender silhouette, delicate and thin,

أَضَرَّت بِهِ الأَيّامُ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

عِنانٌ لَواهُ بِاليَدَينِ رَفيقُ

The days have worn it down until it seems

The days had worn it down until it seemed to be

A soft bridle held gently in both hands

A rein twisted by the hands of a gentle companion.

وَقَفتُ أُعَزّيهِ وَقَد دَقَّ عَظمُهُ

وَقَد حانَ مِن شَمسِ النَهارِ شُروقُ

I stood to console it, its bone thinned

I stood consoling it, for its frame had grown frail,

And the sun’s dawn had come

Just as the sun of the day was about to rise.

لِيَهنِ وُلاةَ اللَهوِ أَنَّكَ هالِكٌ

فَأَنتَ بِما يَجري عَلَيكَ حَقيقُ

To shame the revelers - you are doomed

Let the lords of leisure rejoice that you are perishing,

For what befalls you is deserved, genuine

For you are truly deserving of the fate that befalls you.

وَإِنّي بِشَهرِ الصَومِ إِذ بانَ شامِتٌ

وَإِنَّكَ يا شَوّالُ لي لَصَديقُ

When the fasting month appeared, my critic gloated

Indeed, I gloat at the Month of Fasting as it departs,

But you, o Shawwal, are my true friend

While you, O Shawwal, are surely a friend to me.

فَقَد عاوَدَت نَفسي الصَبابَةَ وَالهَوى

وَحانَ صَبوحٌ باكِرٌ وَغَبوقُ

You've brought back my youthful vigor and passion

For my soul has returned to yearning and desire,

An early bright morning has arrived, shining

And the time for morning draughts and evening drinks has come.