وَلَيلَةًand a night بَضَّةَtender الأَطرافِthe limbs بِتُّI spent the night بِهاin it
وَلَيلَةً بَضَّةَ الأَطرافِ بِتُّ بِها
وَالبَدرُand the full moon مُعتَنِقيembracing me وَالبَدرُand the full moon قَدalready هَجَراhad departed
وَالبَدرُ مُعتَنِقي وَالبَدرُ قَد هَجَرا
And I spent a night, tender-limbed,
And a night of silver stars embraced
With the full moon embracing me, while the full moon had departed.
The moon holds me close but now so far
وَبَينَناand between us رِشَفاتٌsips كانَwas مَوقِعُهاtheir effect
وَبَينَنا رِشَفاتٌ كانَ مَوقِعُها
كَمَوقِعُlike the effect of العَفوِpardon مِمَّنfrom one who ظَلَّremained مُقتَدِراpowerful
كَمَوقِعُ العَفوِ مِمَّن ظَلَّ مُقتَدِرا
And between us were sips, whose effect was
Between us scarves once softly placed
Like the effect of pardon from one who still held power.
Like pardons granted though once severe
فَيالَهاso, what a wonder it was! لَيلَةًa night ماhow كانَwould have been أَحسَنَهاbeautiful it was!
فَيالَها لَيلَةً ما كانَ أَحسَنَها
لَوif only طالَgrew longer مِنof عُمرِهاits lifespan ماwhat كانَhad been قَدalready قَصُراwas short
لَو طالَ مِن عُمرِها ما كانَ قَد قَصُرا
So, what a night—how lovely it would have been,
Oh, the beauty of that night now gone
Had the short span of its life been prolonged!
If it lived on, it would not fade, forlorn
Sol 6.1