قَدْ لاَحَ تَحْتَ الصُّبْحِ لَيْلٌ مُظْلِمٌ

قَدْ لاَحَ تَحْتَ الصُّبْحِ لَيْلٌ مُظْلِمٌ

إِذْ رَاحَ فِي السَّرْجِ المُحَلَّى الأَدْهَمُ

إِذْ رَاحَ فِي السَّرْجِ المُحَلَّى الأَدْهَمُ

A dark night has appeared beneath the dawn,

Beneath the dawn appeared a dark night

When the black steed went forth in an adorned saddle.

As the gorgeous saddle-cloth went about the bay horse

دِيْبَاجُ أَلْوَانِ الجِيَادِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ

دِيْبَاجُ أَلْوَانِ الجِيَادِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ

لِيُخَصَّ بِالدِّيْبَاجِ إِلاَّ الأَكْرَمُ

لِيُخَصَّ بِالدِّيْبَاجِ إِلاَّ الأَكْرَمُ

The brocade among the colors of steeds—and none was

The cloak of brilliant steed colors though

To be singled out for brocade save the noblest.

None but the noblest should wear such a cloak

ضَحِكَ اللُّجَيْنُ عَلَى سَوَادِ أَدِيْمِهِ

ضَحِكَ اللُّجَيْنُ عَلَى سَوَادِ أَدِيْمِهِ

وَكَذَا الظَّلاَمُ تُنِيْرُ الأَنْجُمُ

وَكَذَا الظَّلاَمُ تُنِيْرُ الأَنْجُمُ

The silver laughed upon the blackness of his hide,

The two seas laughed at the blackness of its hide

And likewise the stars illuminate the darkness.

And so the darkness is illuminated by the stars

فَكَأَنَّهُ بِبَنَاتِ نَعْشٍ مُلَبَّبٌ

فَكَأَنَّهُ بِبَنَاتِ نَعْشٍ مُلَبَّبٌ

وَكَأَنَّمَا هُوَ بِالثُّرَيَّا مُلْجَمُ

وَكَأَنَّمَا هُوَ بِالثُّرَيَّا مُلْجَمُ

So he seems to wear the Daughters of the Bier as a breast-strap,

As if it were shrouded in pallbearers

And as though he were bridled with the Pleiades.

As if studded with gems