وحسناء لا جُنْحُ الظّلام اهْتدى لها

وحسناء لا جُنْحُ الظّلام اهْتدى لها

ولا نَحْوها ضَوءُ الصّباحِ تَطرَّقا

ولا نَحْوها ضَوءُ الصّباحِ تَطرَّقا

And a beauty to whom the onset of darkness found no way,

A beauty to whom the dark's wing could not find its way

nor did the morning light make its way toward her.

Nor could the dawn's light shine upon her and seep through

ركبتُ إليها الليلَ والليلُ أدهمُ

ركبتُ إليها الليلَ والليلُ أدهمُ

فلم أنصرفْ إلا وقد عادَ أَبْلَقا

فلم أنصرفْ إلا وقد عادَ أَبْلَقا

I rode the night to her, while the night was jet-black,

I visited her in the night while the night was pitch-black

and did not depart until it had turned piebald.

Yet I returned not until the night itself gleamed white