أَلَم تَرها مَرَّة إِذ نَأَت

أَلَم تَرها مَرَّة إِذ نَأَت

وَلَم تَأتِ مِن بَين أَترابِها

وَلَم تَأتِ مِن بَين أَترابِها

Did you not see her once, when she drew away,

Did you not see her once when she came

and did not emerge from among her peers,

And did not come from among her companions

وَقَد غَمَرتها دَواعي السُرور

وَقَد غَمَرتها دَواعي السُرور

بِإِشعالِها وَبِإِلهابِها

بِإِشعالِها وَبِإِلهابِها

while the stirrings of joy had engulfed her,

And she was flooded with joy

kindling her and setting her ablaze?

With her illumination and her radiance

وَنَحنُ فُتورٌ إِلى أَن بَدَت

وَنَحنُ فُتورٌ إِلى أَن بَدَت

وَبَدر الدُّجى بَينَ أَثوابِها

وَبَدر الدُّجى بَينَ أَثوابِها

And we were languid until she appeared,

While we were languid until she appeared

with the full moon of the dark night amid her robes.

And the full moon in the darkness of her clothes

فَلَمّا نَأَت كَيفَ كُنّا لها

فَلَمّا نَأَت كَيفَ كُنّا لها

وَلَما دنت كَيف كنّا بِها

وَلَما دنت كَيف كنّا بِها

So when she drew away, how were we toward her?

So when she came, how were we to her

And when she drew near, how were we with her?

And when she approached, how were we with her