وَلَيلَةً بَضَّةَ الأَطرافِ بِتُّ بِها

وَلَيلَةً بَضَّةَ الأَطرافِ بِتُّ بِها

وَالبَدرُ مُعتَنِقي وَالبَدرُ قَد هَجَرا

وَالبَدرُ مُعتَنِقي وَالبَدرُ قَد هَجَرا

And I spent a night, tender-limbed,

And a night of silver stars embraced

With the full moon embracing me, while the full moon had departed.

The moon holds me close but now so far

وَبَينَنا رِشَفاتٌ كانَ مَوقِعُها

وَبَينَنا رِشَفاتٌ كانَ مَوقِعُها

كَمَوقِعُ العَفوِ مِمَّن ظَلَّ مُقتَدِرا

كَمَوقِعُ العَفوِ مِمَّن ظَلَّ مُقتَدِرا

And between us were sips, whose effect was

Between us scarves once softly placed

Like the effect of pardon from one who still held power.

Like pardons granted though once severe

فَيالَها لَيلَةً ما كانَ أَحسَنَها

فَيالَها لَيلَةً ما كانَ أَحسَنَها

لَو طالَ مِن عُمرِها ما كانَ قَد قَصُرا

لَو طالَ مِن عُمرِها ما كانَ قَد قَصُرا

So, what a night—how lovely it would have been,

Oh, the beauty of that night now gone

Had the short span of its life been prolonged!

If it lived on, it would not fade, forlorn