ياO هلالcrescent الدياجِthe dark nights لُحْshine forth بالنهارِby day
يا هلال الدياجِ لُحْ بالنهارِ
فلقدfor indeed أنتyou نزهةa delight الأبصارthe eyes
فلقد أنت نزهة الأبصار
O crescent of the dark nights, shine forth by day!
O crescent moon illuminating the darkness
For truly you are a delight to the eyes.
You are indeed a delight to all eyes
أنتyou محوeffacement وأنتand you فيin العينthe eye بدرa full moon
أنت محو وأنت في العين بدر
بتجليكthrough your self-revelation فيin الضياءthe radiance المحارbewildered
بتجليك في الضياء المحار
You are effacement, and in the eye you are a full moon,
You are effacement and in the eyes a full moon
through your self-revelation in the bewildered radiance.
With your radiance in the splendid light
فإذاso when ماemphatic particle بداappears هلالُthe crescent المعانيthe meanings
فإذا ما بدا هلالُ المعاني
طالعاًrising منfrom حديقةِthe garden الأبصارthe eyes
طالعاً من حديقةِ الأبصار
So when the crescent of meanings appears,
So when the crescent of meanings appears
rising from the garden of the eyes,
Rising from the garden of sights
قلsay لهto it بالتواضعwith humility المتعاليtranscendent
قل له بالتواضع المتعالي
لاnot بنفسin the spirit الدعاءsupplication والإنكارand denial
لا بنفس الدعاء والإنكار
say to it with transcendent humility,
Say to it humbly and loftily
not in the spirit of supplication and denial:
Not with the soul of supplication and refusal
ياO هَلاَcrescent (text uncertain) بينamong الجوانحthe ribs سارjourneyed
يا هَلاَ بين الجوانح سار
لاdo not تفارقleave حنادسَdeep darknesses الأغيارotherness
لا تفارق حنادسَ الأغيار
O crescent that has journeyed among the ribs,
O crescent wandering amidst the bosoms
do not leave the deep darkness of otherness.
Do not leave the chambers of the strangers
كنbe عُبيداًa little servant بقصرهاin its palace وملكياًand royal
كن عُبيداً بقصرها وملكياً
بعدafter محويناour two effacements لكمfor you (plural) فيin السرارthe moon's dark phase
بعد محوينا لكم في السرار
Be a little servant in its palace, and royal,
Be servants in its palace and kings
after our two effacements for you in the moon's dark phase.
After we have erased you in the secrets
حكمةa wisdom قدindeed تحّيرgrew bewildered الخلقcreation فيهاover it
حكمة قد تحّير الخلق فيها
وسراجانand two lamps أسرجهاkindled it بنهارby day
وسراجان أسرجها بنهار
A wisdom over which creation has grown bewildered,
A wisdom that confused people in it
and two lamps kindled it by day.
And two lamps that illuminated it with daylight
عجباًhow wondrous! فيin سناهماtheir radiance (both) كيفhow لاحاthey both shone
عجباً في سناهما كيف لاحا
وسناءand the splendor الشمسthe sun مذهبُa dispeller الأنوارthe lights
وسناء الشمس مذهبُ الأنوار
How wondrous their radiance—how they both shone!
A wonder in their age how they shone
Yet the sun's splendor dispels the lights.
And the brilliance of sun is the melting of lights
كلّevery نورٍlight فيin كلِّevery قلبٍheart مُحارbewildered
كلّ نورٍ في كلِّ قلبٍ مُحار
ماexception-introducing particle عداexcept قلبthe heart وارثِthe heir المختارthe Chosen One
ما عدا قلب وارثِ المختار
Every light in every heart is bewildered,
Every light in every heart shines
except the heart of the Chosen One's heir.
Except the heart of the heir of the Chosen
فاشكرِso thank اللهGod ياO أخيّmy dear brother علىfor ماwhat
فاشكرِ الله يا أخيّ على ما
وهبتهbestowed it نتائجُthe fruits الأذكارِthe invocations
وهبته نتائجُ الأذكارِ
So thank God, my dear brother, for what
So thank Allah my brother for what
the fruits of remembrance have bestowed.
He granted, the fruits of remembrance