وَلَيْلٍ كَيَوْمِ البَيْنِ في مِثْلِ طُولِهِ

وَلَيْلٍ كَيَوْمِ البَيْنِ في مِثْلِ طُولِهِ

كَبَسْطَةِ كَفِّي إِذْ حَوتْ قَائِمَ النَّصْلِ

كَبَسْطَةِ كَفِّي إِذْ حَوتْ قَائِمَ النَّصْلِ

And a night, as long as the day of parting,

A night that stretched as long as days of separation

Like the span of my palm when it clasped the blade’s hilt—

As my palm when it grasped the upright spear

جَلَوْتُ بِهِ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ كلَّ عَارِضٍ

جَلَوْتُ بِهِ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ كلَّ عَارِضٍ

بأَبْيَضَ مِثْلِ البَدْرِ في السِنِّ والشَّكلِ

بأَبْيَضَ مِثْلِ البَدْرِ في السِنِّ والشَّكلِ

That night I cleared every cloud from its face

With it I warded off from his face all misfortunes

With a fair youth, like the full moon in age and form.

With a white like the full moon in appearance and shape

كأَنَّ المَنايا كُمَّنٌ في لِحاظِهِ

كأَنَّ المَنايا كُمَّنٌ في لِحاظِهِ

فَهُنَّ إِلى قَبْضِ النُّفوسِ مِنَ الرُّسْلِ

فَهُنَّ إِلى قَبْضِ النُّفوسِ مِنَ الرُّسْلِ

As though deaths lay in ambush in his glances,

As if death were archers in wait for him

So they are among the messengers sent to seize souls.

Whose task is to seize souls at their appointed time