عُلِّقتُها حَمَّاءَ مصقولةً

عُلِّقتُها حَمَّاءَ مصقولةً

سوادُ قلبي صفةٌ فيها

سوادُ قلبي صفةٌ فيها

I fell for her, a dark beauty—my burnished one;

I fell in love with her, black and burnished;

the blackness of my heart is a quality she bears.

My heart's blackness is a trait of hers.

ما انكسف البدرُ على تِمِّهِ

ما انكسف البدرُ على تِمِّهِ

ونُورِه إلا ليحكِيها

ونُورِه إلا ليحكِيها

The full moon was never eclipsed at the height of its fullness,

The full moon was never eclipsed, for all its fullness

nor its radiance, save to imitate her.

And radiance, except to resemble her.

لأجلها الأزمان أوقاتُها

لأجلها الأزمان أوقاتُها

مؤرخاتٌ من لياليها

مؤرخاتٌ من لياليها

For her sake, the ages—their epochs

For her sake, the ages' times

are dated by nights of hers.

Are dated from her nights.