هذا أبو الفضلِ بدرُ الحُسن قد شهدَتْ

هذا أبو الفضلِ بدرُ الحُسن قد شهدَتْ

أوصافُه أنه كالبدرِ في الأفُقِ

أوصافُه أنه كالبدرِ في الأفُقِ

Here is Abu al-Fadl, beauty’s full moon; his qualities bear witness

This is Abu al-Fadl, beauty’s full moon; it has been attested

that he is like the full moon upon the horizon.

by his qualities that he is like the full moon on the horizon.

لما تعمّم تيهاً بالسماءِ بَدا

لما تعمّم تيهاً بالسماءِ بَدا

وفوقَ أعطافِه ثوبٌ من الشّفقِ

وفوقَ أعطافِه ثوبٌ من الشّفقِ

When, in proud splendor, he wrapped the sky about him as a turban, he appeared

When he proudly donned the sky as a turban, he appeared

with a robe of twilight draped across his shoulders.

and over his shoulders was a robe of twilight glow.

ولا تقُلْ لاحَ في خدّيهِ عارضُهُ

ولا تقُلْ لاحَ في خدّيهِ عارضُهُ

فإنما هو تأثيرٌ من الغسَقِ

فإنما هو تأثيرٌ من الغسَقِ

Do not say that his beard has begun to show upon his cheeks—

And do not say his beard has appeared upon his cheeks;

it is only an imprint left by dusk.

for it is merely an effect of night’s darkness.