سَلْ نَفْحَةَ الخِيريِّ في غَسَقِ الدُّجى

سَلْ نَفْحَةَ الخِيريِّ في غَسَقِ الدُّجى

ما بالُهُ لَبِسَ الظَّلامَ رداءَ

ما بالُهُ لَبِسَ الظَّلامَ رداءَ

Ask the wallflower's fragrance in the deep darkness of night

Ask the breath of benevolence in the dusk of gloom

why it has donned darkness as a cloak.

Why has he worn the garb of darkness?

حَقّاً لَعَمْرُكَ أنَّهُ ذو رِيبَةٍ

حَقّاً لَعَمْرُكَ أنَّهُ ذو رِيبَةٍ

أوْ لا ففيمَ يُحاذِرُ الرُّقَباءَ

أوْ لا ففيمَ يُحاذِرُ الرُّقَباءَ

Truly, by your life, it is suspect;

Indeed, by your life, he is suspicious

or, if not, why does it fear the watchers?

Or else why does he fear the observers?

كالصَّبِّ يُخفِي شَجْوَهُ حَتَّى إذا

كالصَّبِّ يُخفِي شَجْوَهُ حَتَّى إذا

جَنَّ الظَّلامُ تنفَّسَ الصُّعداءَ

جَنَّ الظَّلامُ تنفَّسَ الصُّعداءَ

Like a lovesick lover, it hides its grief until, when

Like a young man who hides his longing until when

darkness falls, it breathes a deep sigh.

The darkness comes, he sighs with relief