عبسfrowned الزمانtime وقدand indeed أتىit came
عبس الزمان وقد أتى
متبسماsmiling بعدafter العبوسthe frown
متبسما بعد العبوس
Time frowned, yet it has come
Time frowned, then came
smiling after its frown.
Smiling after the frown.
لاdo not تعتبوهreproach it فإنfor indeed منamong
لا تعتبوه فإن من
حسناتهits good deeds يومthe day الخميسThursday
حسناته يوم الخميس
Do not reproach it, for among
Do not blame him, for of
its good deeds is Thursday.
His virtues is Thursday.
فشهدتfor I beheld بعدafter غروبهits sunset
فشهدت بعد غروبه
قمراًa moon يجلis exalted عنabove الشموسthe suns
قمراً يجل عن الشموس
For after its sunset I beheld
So after its sunset
a moon exalted above the suns.
I saw a moon outshining the suns.
وأشارand he beckoned ليto me بعدafter التحيthe greeting (first part)
وأشار لي بعد التحي
ةcompletes 'greeting' بالتحدثto converse والجلوسand to sit
ة بالتحدث والجلوس
And he beckoned me, after the greet-
And after greeting me
ing, to converse and sit.
He gestured to converse and sit.
فسكوتthen silence وجداًin rapture منfrom أحاstories (first part)
فسكوت وجداً من أحا
ديثcompletes 'stories' تدارare passed around بلاwithout كؤوسcups
ديث تدار بلا كؤوس
Then silence, in rapture, at sto-
So I kept silent, preferring
ries passed around without cups.
Conversations without cups to pass around.
هلdoes …? يدريknow بدرfull moon التمfullness أbegins 'that'
هل يدري بدر التم أ
نcompletes 'that' أخاهhis brother فيin الدنياthis world جليسيmy companion
ن أخاه في الدنيا جليسي
Does the full moon know tha-
Does the full moon know
t his brother in this world is my companion?
That his brother in life is my companion?