فَما بالُ صُبحي قَد تَقارَبَ خطوُهُ

فَما بالُ صُبحي قَد تَقارَبَ خطوُهُ

فأَبطأَ حَتّى لَيسَ يُرجى قدومُهُ

فأَبطأَ حَتّى لَيسَ يُرجى قدومُهُ

So what ails my dawn, whose steps have grown short,

My dawn has slowed its pace,

And which has slowed until its arrival is no longer hoped for?

Its steps converging until its arrival seems beyond hope.

كأَنَّ نجومَ اللَيل قيدها الدجى

كأَنَّ نجومَ اللَيل قيدها الدجى

وَأَوقَفَها في مَوضِعٍ لا تريمه

وَأَوقَفَها في مَوضِعٍ لا تريمه

As though the darkness had fettered the stars of night

As though the stars of night are bound by darkness

And held them in a place they do not leave.

And stopped in their places, no longer to roam.