وَقالوا به صَفراءُ يُرجى زوالُها

وَقالوا به صَفراءُ يُرجى زوالُها

لَقَد صَدقوا صفراءُ من خُرّد الحَبَش

لَقَد صَدقوا صفراءُ من خُرّد الحَبَش

They said he has jaundice, whose passing is hoped for.

They said she is yellow, hoped it will soon pass

Indeed, they spoke truly: a golden-hued woman among the maidens of Abyssinia.

Indeed she's yellow, from the Ethiopian youth

تفوقُ ضياءَ البَدرِ إِن تَبدُ في الدجى

تفوقُ ضياءَ البَدرِ إِن تَبدُ في الدجى

وَتُزري بضَوءِ الصُبح إن تبدُ في الغَبَش

وَتُزري بضَوءِ الصُبح إن تبدُ في الغَبَش

She surpasses the full moon’s radiance if she appears in the darkness,

She outshines the moonlight when appearing in the dark

And puts dawn’s light to shame if she appears in the predawn twilight.

And rivals the dawn when rising through the haze