وَلَيلand a night بِهِin it كانَwas التّواصُلُcommunion بَينَناbetween us
وَلَيل بِهِ كانَ التّواصُلُ بَينَنا
وَبَينيand between me وَبينَand between الدّهرِTime قَدindeed أَوجبbrought about الصّلحاpeace
وَبَيني وَبينَ الدّهرِ قَد أَوجب الصّلحا
And many a night that brought us together,
And a night in which we shared communion
and ordained a truce between me and Time.
brought peace between me and Time.
وَقَدand indeed طالَgrew long ذاكَthat اللّيلُthe night بِالصّفوِin serenity وَالهناand bliss
وَقَد طالَ ذاكَ اللّيلُ بِالصّفوِ وَالهنا
وَبِالأُنسِand in intimacy ممّاof that which لاnot نُطيلُwe prolong بِهِabout it الشّرحاthe description
وَبِالأُنسِ ممّا لا نُطيلُ بِهِ الشّرحا
That night stretched on into morning and bliss,
And that night lingered long in serenity and bliss,
with such intimacy as we shall not describe at length.
and in intimacy we shall not describe at length.
وَمِنّاand from us اِستَحَقّdeserved اللّيلُthe night إِذas طالَgrew long خِلعَةًa robe of honor
وَمِنّا اِستَحَقّ اللّيلُ إِذ طالَ خِلعَةً
فَقُلناso we said لِشَرقِto the east of الأفقِthe horizon يُلبسهُto clothe it الصُّبحاdawn
فَقُلنا لِشَرقِ الأفقِ يُلبسهُ الصُّبحا
And from us, when it lingered, the night earned my robe of honor;
And the night, as it lingered long, deserved a robe of honor from us;
so we bade the horizon’s east clothe it in dawn.
so we told the eastern horizon to clothe it in dawn.
