وَجَدتُكَ دَهراً ثانياً شَعرُك الدُّجى

وَجَدتُكَ دَهراً ثانياً شَعرُك الدُّجى

وَوَجهكَ إِصباح وَهجرُكَ كَالصرفِ

وَوَجهكَ إِصباح وَهجرُكَ كَالصرفِ

I found you a second age: your hair is the darkness of night,

I found you a second Time: your hair is the darkness of night;

Your face is daybreak, and your estrangement is like fate’s vicissitudes.

And your face is dawn, and your estrangement is like fate’s vicissitudes.

فَإِن أَبغِ صُبحاً كانَ خَدُّكَ مُصبِحِي

فَإِن أَبغِ صُبحاً كانَ خَدُّكَ مُصبِحِي

وَإِن أَبغِ لَيلاً بِتُّ في شَعرِكَ الوَحفِ

وَإِن أَبغِ لَيلاً بِتُّ في شَعرِكَ الوَحفِ

If I seek morning, your cheek becomes my dawn;

So if I seek morning, your cheek will bring me dawn;

And if I seek night, I spend it in your luxuriant hair.

And if I seek night, I spend the night in your luxuriant hair.