بداhe appeared وهلالwhile the crescent الدجىthe darkness of night طالعrising
بدا وهلال الدجى طالع
ولاحand gleamed سناradiance الفرقthe hair’s parting ليto me واتجهand turned
ولاح سنا الفرق لي واتجه
He appeared while the crescent of the dark night was rising.
And the radiance of his hair’s parting gleamed before me, and he turned toward me.
وقالand he said وقدwhile already أشرقاthe two shone ليbefore me معاtogether
وقال وقد أشرقا لي معا
فأيهماso which of the two البدرthe full moon قلتI said اشتبهit was hard to distinguish
فأيهما البدر قلت اشتبه
And he said, as the two shone before me together:
“Which of the two, then, is the full moon?” I said, “I could not tell them apart.”