سَلاماًpeace عَلىupon مَنthe one whose لاnot يُمَلُّis wearied of كَلامُهُhis speech
سَلاماً عَلى مَن لا يُمَلُّ كَلامُهُ
وَإِنeven if عاشَرَتهُkept his company النَفسُthe soul عَصراًan age إِلىto عَصرِan age
وَإِن عاشَرَتهُ النَفسُ عَصراً إِلى عَصرِ
Peace upon the one whose speech never grows tiresome,
Even if the soul keeps their company from age to age.
فَماfor neither الشَمسُthe sun وافَتappeared يَومَon a day دَجنٍof cloudiness فَأَشرَقَتand then shone
فَما الشَمسُ وافَت يَومَ دَجنٍ فَأَشرَقَت
وَلاnor البَدرُthe full moon وافىmet أَسعُداًauspicious stars لَيلَةَon the night البَدرِof the full moon
وَلا البَدرُ وافى أَسعُداً لَيلَةَ البَدرِ
For neither the sun, appearing on a cloudy day and shining forth,
Nor the full moon, meeting auspicious stars on the night of its fullness,
بِأَحسَنَany fairer مِنهاthan she أَوor تَزيدَshe exceeds مَلاحَةًin loveliness
بِأَحسَنَ مِنها أَو تَزيدَ مَلاحَةً
عَلىbeyond ذاكَthat أَوor راءىfeigned it المُحِبُّthe lover فَماso not أَدريI know
عَلى ذاكَ أَو راءى المُحِبُّ فَما أَدري
Is fairer than she—or perhaps she is lovelier
Than that—or the lover feigned it; I do not know.