أَتَتناshe came to us وَجنحُand the wing of اللَيلِnight مُنسَدِلُhanging down السَّترِthe veil
أَتَتنا وَجنحُ اللَيلِ مُنسَدِلُ السَّترِ
فَأغنىso spared سَناهاher radiance الطَّرفَthe eye عَنfrom needing طَلعةِthe face of البَدرِthe full moon
فَأغنى سَناها الطَّرفَ عَن طَلعةِ البَدرِ
She came to us as night’s wing let down its veil.
She came to us with night’s wing draped in its veil;
Her radiance spared the eye the need for the full moon’s rising.
So her radiance left the eye no need of the full moon’s face.
رَواحٌRawāḥ غَدَتْshe became قَيدَa fetter for العُيونthe eyes بِحُسنِهاthrough her beauty
رَواحٌ غَدَتْ قَيدَ العُيون بِحُسنِها
وَقَدand already بَرَزَتshe emerged تَختالُshe struts فيin حِبَرthe brocades of الحبرِink
وَقَد بَرَزَت تَختالُ في حِبَر الحبرِ
An evening visitor, her beauty holding every gaze captive.
Rawāḥ became a fetter for the eyes through her beauty,
She came forth, strutting in the scholar’s finery.
And she had emerged, strutting in the brocades of ink.
جَلاهاhe unveiled her لَناto us مَنone who جالَranged فيin حَلبَةِthe arena of النُهىreason
جَلاها لَنا مَن جالَ في حَلبَةِ النُهى
فَجَلّىso he excelled عَلىover الأَقرانِhis peers فيin النَظمِverse وَالنَثرِand prose
فَجَلّى عَلى الأَقرانِ في النَظمِ وَالنَثرِ
Displayed to us by one who ranges through the arena of intellects,
He who ranged through reason’s arena unveiled her to us,
and thus he outshone his peers in verse and prose.
And outstripped his peers in verse and prose.
فَوافَتso she came to ذَويpossessors of الأَلبابِunderstanding تُسفرُshe lifts the veil عَنfrom هُدىًguidance
فَوافَت ذَوي الأَلبابِ تُسفرُ عَن هُدىً
وَتنطقُand she speaks عَنfrom حُكمٍjudgment وَتَفتَرُّand she parts her lips عَنto reveal سِحرِenchantment
وَتنطقُ عَن حُكمٍ وَتَفتَرُّ عَن سِحرِ
She came to people of understanding, unveiling guidance,
So she came to those of understanding, unveiling guidance,
speaking wisdom and smiling forth enchantment.
And speaks with judgment, and smiles to reveal enchantment.
هِيَshe البِكرthe virgin قَدindeed بَوأتُهاI seated her عَرشَthe throne of خاطِريmy mind
هِيَ البِكر قَد بَوأتُها عَرشَ خاطِري
فَأَصبحَso it became إِذwhen حَلَّتshe dwelt بِهِin it هَيكَلthe temple of البكرِthe virgin
فَأَصبحَ إِذ حَلَّت بِهِ هَيكَل البكرِ
She is the maiden; I have enthroned her upon the throne of my mind.
She is the virgin; I have seated her on my mind’s throne,
And when she took her place there, it became the Virgin’s shrine.
So, when she dwelt in it, it became the virgin’s temple.
أَقامَhe dwelt بِهِin it جبريلُGabriel وَهوَand he نَجيُّهاher confidant
أَقامَ بِهِ جبريلُ وَهوَ نَجيُّها
يُلقِّنهاhe imparts to her مِنfrom وَحيهِhis revelation أَيَّماa wondrous سِرِّsecret
يُلقِّنها مِن وَحيهِ أَيَّما سِرِّ
There Gabriel dwelt, her intimate confidant,
Gabriel dwelt there as her confidant,
imparting to her from his revelation a most wondrous mystery.
Imparting to her, from his revelation, a wondrous secret.
حَقائقُtruths of عَصرٍan age قَدindeed جَلاهاhe unveiled them فَأَقبَلَتso they came forth
حَقائقُ عَصرٍ قَد جَلاها فَأَقبَلَت
تُناديthey call out بِأَربابِto the masters of الغِوايةِerror وَالعَصرِand the age
تُنادي بِأَربابِ الغِوايةِ وَالعَصرِ
Truths of an age he laid bare, and forth they came,
Truths of an age he had unveiled, and they came forth,
calling alike to the lords of error and the leaders of the age.
Calling to the masters of error and of the age.
فَياso, O أَيُّهاyou النَدبُthe gallant man الذَكيُّthe keen-witted وَمَنand one who لَهُto him
فَيا أَيُّها النَدبُ الذَكيُّ وَمَن لَهُ
بَدائعُmarvels فيin الآدابِliterature جَلَّتwere too great عَنfor الحَصرِcounting
بَدائعُ في الآدابِ جَلَّت عَن الحَصرِ
O gifted, discerning champion—you whose
So, O gallant, keen-witted man, and you whose
literary masterpieces are beyond all counting—
Marvels in letters are too great to count,
لَكَfor you اللَهُGod ماwhat أَبديتَyou revealed مِنof نورِthe light of حكمةٍwisdom
لَكَ اللَهُ ما أَبديتَ مِن نورِ حكمةٍ
جَهاراًopenly وَطَبعُand the nature of النُورlight يَأبىrefuses سِوىanything but الجَهرِopenness
جَهاراً وَطَبعُ النُور يَأبى سِوى الجَهرِ
God bless you for the light of wisdom you have revealed
God be with you! What light of wisdom you have revealed
openly; for light by nature refuses anything but full display.
Openly—and light’s nature refuses all but openness.
فَدُمso remain ناصِراًa champion لِلحَقof truth مُنتَصِراًvictorious بِهِthrough it
فَدُم ناصِراً لِلحَق مُنتَصِراً بِهِ
عَلىover تُرهاتthe absurdities of الزورfalsehood واسلمand be safe مَدىthroughout الدَهرall time
عَلى تُرهات الزور واسلم مَدى الدَهر
Remain, then, a champion of truth, triumphant through it
So remain a champion of truth, victorious through it
over falsehood’s absurdities; and fare well forever.
Over falsehood’s absurdities, and fare well for all time.
