قُمْrise هَاتِهاbring it واللَّيْلُand the night مَالَinclined عَمُودُهُits pillar
قُمْ هَاتِها واللَّيْلُ مَالَ عَمُودُهُ
لِلْغَرْبِtoward the west وانْتَشَرَتْand spread out جُنُودُarmies الْمَغْرِبِthe sunset
لِلْغَرْبِ وانْتَشَرَتْ جُنُودُ الْمَغْرِبِ
Rise, bring it; the pillar of night has inclined
Rise, for night's pillar slants now to the west,
toward the west, and the armies of sunset have spread out.
And the Maghrib's troops have opened ranks.
وَبَدَاand appeared الْهِلالُthe crescent moon عَلَىagainst الأَصِيلِthe late afternoon كَأَنَّهُas though it were
وَبَدَا الْهِلالُ عَلَى الأَصِيلِ كَأَنَّهُ
نُونٌnūn (Arabic letter) مُفَضَّضَةٌsilvered بِرَقٍّon parchment مُذْهَبِgilded
نُونٌ مُفَضَّضَةٌ بِرَقٍّ مُذْهَبِ
And the crescent appeared against the evening light, as though it were
The new moon gleams on the horizon's rim
a silvered letter nūn on gilded parchment.
Like a Nūn delicately traced in gold.