لما رأيت البدر في

لما رأيت البدر في

أفق السماء وقد تعلّى

أفق السماء وقد تعلّى

When I saw the full moon upon

When I saw the full moon in

When I saw the full moon rise

the horizon of heaven, risen high,

the sky’s horizon, already risen high,

High in the starry skies

ورأيت قرن الشمس في

ورأيت قرن الشمس في

أفق الغروب وقد تدلّى

أفق الغروب وقد تدلّى

and saw the sun’s crescent rim upon

and saw the sun’s horn in

And saw the sun's first light

the sunset horizon, hanging low,

the sunset horizon, hanging low,

Sink down in evening's sights

شبَّهت ذاك وهذه

شبَّهت ذاك وهذه

وأرى شبيههما أجَّلا

وأرى شبيههما أجَّلا

I likened that one and this—

I likened that one and this one—

I thought the two were one

yet deem their counterparts more glorious:

and deem their counterpart nobler—

Most beautiful under the sun

وجه الحبيب إذا بدا

وجه الحبيب إذا بدا

وقفا الحبيب إذا تولّى

وقفا الحبيب إذا تولّى

the beloved’s face when it appears,

to the beloved’s face when he appears,

My love's face when gazed upon

and the beloved’s nape when he turns away.

and the beloved’s nape when he turns away.

My love's face when he is gone