وَخَيرِيَّةٍand a wallflower بَينَbetween النَسيمِthe breeze وَبَينَهاand between it
وَخَيرِيَّةٍ بَينَ النَسيمِ وَبَينَها
حَديثٌa conversation إِذاwhen جَنَّfell الظَلامُthe darkness يَطيبُgrows sweet
حَديثٌ إِذا جَنَّ الظَلامُ يَطيبُ
And a wallflower—between the breeze and it,
The fragrance of her breath mingles with the breeze at night
conversation grows sweet when darkness falls.
When darkness falls, sweet discourse is our delight
لَهاit has نَفَسٌa breath يَسريwafts مَعَwith اللَيلِthe night عاطِرٌfragrant
لَها نَفَسٌ يَسري مَعَ اللَيلِ عاطِرٌ
كَأَنَّas though لَهُit had سِرّاًa secret هُناكَthere يَريبُarouses suspicion
كَأَنَّ لَهُ سِرّاً هُناكَ يَريبُ
It has a fragrant breath that wafts with the night,
Her spirit wanders through the gloom and gently stirs
as though it had a secret there that stirs suspicion.
As though it keeps a secret tryst beyond our sight
يَدِبُّcreeps along مَعَwith الإِمساءِthe onset of evening حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
يَدِبُّ مَعَ الإِمساءِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
لَهُit had خَلفَbehind أَستارِthe veils of الظَلامِthe darkness حَبيبُa beloved
لَهُ خَلفَ أَستارِ الظَلامِ حَبيبُ
It creeps along at dusk, as though
It creeps, as night grows deep, as if beyond the veil
it had a beloved behind the veils of darkness.
Of darkness, there awaits a lover true and bright
وَيَخفىand hides مَعَwith الإِصباحِdaybreak حَتّىuntil كَأَنَّماas though
وَيَخفى مَعَ الإِصباحِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما
يَظَلُّremains عَلَيهِover it لِلصَباحِfor the morning رَقيبُa watchman
يَظَلُّ عَلَيهِ لِلصَباحِ رَقيبُ
And it hides at daybreak, as though
And when dawn breaks, it swiftly fades away again
the morning's watchman kept watch over it.
As though for it the dawn's a watchful warden's light