أَشاقكَ إذ غنَّى الحمامُ المطوَّقُ

أَشاقكَ إذ غنَّى الحمامُ المطوَّقُ

ولمحُ سناً من بارقٍ يتألَّقُ

ولمحُ سناً من بارقٍ يتألَّقُ

Did the ring-necked doves stir your longing as they sang,

When the caged dove sang,

and a glint of radiance from gleaming lightning?

And a lightning smile flashed bright,

سرى موْهِناً تزْجي الصِّبا غيمَ أُفْقِهِ

سرى موْهِناً تزْجي الصِّبا غيمَ أُفْقِهِ

وقد أَضحَكَ الروضَ الحيا المتدفق

وقد أَضحَكَ الروضَ الحيا المتدفق

It passed late at night, the east wind driving the clouds of its horizon,

The morning breeze crept gently, scattering the mist of the horizon,

and the pouring rain had made the garden laugh,

Making the fresh meadows laugh with flowing streams.

كما ابتسمتْ رقراقةُ الخدِّ غادةٌ

كما ابتسمتْ رقراقةُ الخدِّ غادةٌ

لأجفانِ صبٍّ دَمْعُها يترقرقُ

لأجفانِ صبٍّ دَمْعُها يترقرقُ

as a maiden with lustrous cheeks smiled

Just as the soft cheek dimpled with a smile

at a lovesick lover's eyelids, their tears shimmering.

At the tears of a beloved that flowed and quivered.

عرتني فألحاظُ الجفونِ جآذرٌ

عرتني فألحاظُ الجفونِ جآذرٌ

تُطاعِنُ قلبي والجوانحُ مأزِقُ

تُطاعِنُ قلبي والجوانحُ مأزِقُ

She came to me, and her eyelids' glances were wild-ox calves,

Your glances have moved me, and my innermost being is troubled,

jousting with my heart, my ribs a narrow battlefield.

Your arrows pierce my heart, my wings pinned down.

وغادةِ إنسٍ أدلجتْ لزيارةٍ

وغادةِ إنسٍ أدلجتْ لزيارةٍ

وثوبُ الدجى بالزاهرات مُنَمَّق

وثوبُ الدجى بالزاهرات مُنَمَّق

And a maiden of humankind set out by night for a visit,

And the human beauty of Ghadah came to visit in the night,

while the robe of darkness was adorned with shining stars.

Her garment embroidered with flowers.

تُمازحُ أَبناءَ السُّرى بضيائها

تُمازحُ أَبناءَ السُّرى بضيائها

فتوهمُ بالإصباحِ منْ باتَ يطرُقُ

فتوهمُ بالإصباحِ منْ باتَ يطرُقُ

She teased the sons of night travel with her radiance,

She plays with the people of Sura with her light,

making those journeying through the night imagine dawn had come.

Deceiving them to think it the dawn, those who spent the night awake.

نعمتُ بها حتى أنارَ سنا الضُّحى

نعمتُ بها حتى أنارَ سنا الضُّحى

وشابَ بنورِ الصبح لليلِ مَفْرِق

وشابَ بنورِ الصبح لليلِ مَفْرِق

I delighted in her until the forenoon's radiance shone,

I enjoyed her company until the light of dawn shone,

and the parting in night's hair grew gray with dawn's light.

And the darkness of night was pierced by the light of morning.

فمن مبلغٌ عهدَ السرورِ تحيَّةً

فمن مبلغٌ عهدَ السرورِ تحيَّةً

يُشابُ بها ذكرُ الحبيب فتعبق

يُشابُ بها ذكرُ الحبيب فتعبق

Who, then, will carry a greeting to the days of joy,

So who will convey the message of joyful greeting,

mingled with remembrance of the beloved, so it breathes fragrance?

That will scent the memory of the beloved so it is perfumed?