وليلة كان بها طالعي

وليلة كان بها طالعي

في ذروة السعد وأوج الكمال

في ذروة السعد وأوج الكمال

And a night in which my ascendant stood

On a night when my fortunes were at their peak

At the summit of good fortune and the zenith of perfection.

At the height of joy and perfection

قصر طيب الوصل من عمرها

قصر طيب الوصل من عمرها

فلم تكن إلا كحل العقال

فلم تكن إلا كحل العقال

The sweetness of union shortened its life,

The palace of sweet union shortened its life

So it lasted no longer than untying a hobble.

As if it were only kohl on the eyelids

واتصل الفجر بها بالغا

واتصل الفجر بها بالغا

وهكذا عمر ليالي الوصال

وهكذا عمر ليالي الوصال

And dawn arrived, joining that night;

Dawn drew near extinguishing it

And such is the span of nights of union.

Such is the life of nights of union

إذ أخذت عيني في نومها

إذ أخذت عيني في نومها

وانتبه الطالع بعد الوبال

وانتبه الطالع بعد الوبال

When my eye began its slumber,

As my eyes began to sleep

And the ascendant awoke after ill fortune,

The fortunes awoke after the affliction

فزرته في الليل مستعطفا

فزرته في الليل مستعطفا

أفديه بالنفس وأهلي ومال

أفديه بالنفس وأهلي ومال

So I visited him by night, seeking his compassion,

I visited him at night begging

I would ransom him with my life, my family, and wealth.

I would sacrifice myself, my family and wealth for him

وأشتكي ما أنا فيه من البلوي

وأشتكي ما أنا فيه من البلوي

وما ألقاه من سوء حال

وما ألقاه من سوء حال

And I complained of the affliction I was in,

And complained of the afflictions I was in

And the wretched plight I endured.

And the bad state I was experiencing

فأظهر العطف على عبده

فأظهر العطف على عبده

بمنطق يزري بنظم اللآل

بمنطق يزري بنظم اللآل

So he showed compassion toward his servant,

He showed compassion to his servant

With speech that put strings of pearls to shame.

With speech that rivals the rhythm of poems

فيا لها من ليلة نلت في

فيا لها من ليلة نلت في

ظلامها ما لم يكن في خيال

ظلامها ما لم يكن في خيال

Oh, what a night! I attained in

Oh, what a night in which I attained

Its darkness what I had never imagined.

In its darkness what was not in my imagination

أمست خفيفات مطايا الرجا

أمست خفيفات مطايا الرجا

بها وأضحت بالعطايا ثقال

بها وأضحت بالعطايا ثقال

The mounts of hope were lightly laden at evening,

The carriages of hope became light

In it, and by morning were heavy with gifts.

And gifts became heavy

سقيت في ظلمائها خمرة

سقيت في ظلمائها خمرة

صافية صرفا طهوراً حلال

صافية صرفا طهوراً حلال

In its darkness I was given wine to drink,

I was quenched in its darkness with pure wine

Clear, unmixed, purifying, and lawful.

Poured clear and lawful

وابتهج القلب بأهل الحمى

وابتهج القلب بأهل الحمى

وقرب العين بذاك الجمال

وقرب العين بذاك الجمال

And the heart rejoiced in the people of the sanctuary,

My heart rejoiced with the beloved ones

And the eye was drawn close by that beauty.

And my eyes drew near to that beauty

ونلت ما نلت على أنني

ونلت ما نلت على أنني

ما كنت أستوجب ذاك النوال

ما كنت أستوجب ذاك النوال

And I attained what I attained, although I

I attained what I attained though

Did not deserve that bounty.

I did not deserve that bestowal