ياO لَيلَةًa night لَمdid not تَبِنbecome apparent مِنbecause of القِصَرِbrevity
يا لَيلَةً لَم تَبِن مِن القِصَرِ
كَأَنَهاas though it were قُبلَةٌa kiss عَلىwith حَذَرِcaution
كَأَنَها قُبلَةٌ عَلى حَذَرِ
O night, too brief to be discerned,
O night that did not last long in the palace
As though it were a kiss given warily;
As if it were a kiss taken cautiously
لَمnot تَكُit was إِلّاexcept كَلاlike 'no' وَلاand 'no' وَمَضَتand it passed
لَم تَكُ إِلّا كَلا وَلا وَمَضَت
تَدفَعُpushes فيagainst صَدرِهاits breast يَدُthe hand السَحَرِthe predawn hour
تَدفَعُ في صَدرِها يَدُ السَحَرِ
It lasted only as long as 'no' and 'no,' then passed,
It was nothing but a glimpse and it passed
With the hand of predawn pushing against its breast.
Pushing away the hand of dawn in its chest
Sol 6.1