وليلةِand a night وصْلٍof union لاnot تقاسُis compared بلَيْلَةٍwith a night
وليلةِ وصْلٍ لا تقاسُ بلَيْلَةٍ
أَرَىI see البَدْرَthe full moon مِنْbecause of بَدْرِيmy full moon بِهَاin it غَيْرَnot نيِّرِradiant
أَرَى البَدْرَ مِنْ بَدْرِي بِهَا غَيْرَ نيِّرِ
And a night of union that no other night can match;
A night of union that cannot be compared to any night
In it, I see the full moon dimmed by my own full moon.
I see the full moon by my full moon on it not bright
طويلةُlong خَطْوٍof stride وهْيyet it is أَيُّhow very قَصِيرَةٍshort
طويلةُ خَطْوٍ وهْي أَيُّ قَصِيرَةٍ
فقدfor indeed كذَّبَتْit has belied بالفِعْلِin practice قوْلthe words of كُثَيّرِKuthayyir
فقد كذَّبَتْ بالفِعْلِ قوْل كُثَيّرِ
Long of stride, yet how short it is!
Long in step yet how short
For it has proved Kuthayyir’s words false in practice.
So it has belied in deed the word of Kathir