جَرى في سَمَاءِ الدَّجْنِ فُلْكُ كَوَاكِبٍ

جَرى في سَمَاءِ الدَّجْنِ فُلْكُ كَوَاكِبٍ

لَهَا القُطْبُ قُطْبٌ وَالسِّمَاكُ سِمَاكُ

لَهَا القُطْبُ قُطْبٌ وَالسِّمَاكُ سِمَاكُ

A ship of stars sailed through the cloud-dark sky.

A vessel of stars sailed across the gloomy sky

The Pole Star is its pivot, and al-Simāk its support.

With the North Star as its guide and the Fish as its marker

وَقَامَ بِشَاطِي البَحْرِ لِلَّيْلِ صَائِدٌ

وَقَامَ بِشَاطِي البَحْرِ لِلَّيْلِ صَائِدٌ

لَهُ اللَّيْلُ فَخٌّ وَالنُّجُومُ شِبَاكُ

لَهُ اللَّيْلُ فَخٌّ وَالنُّجُومُ شِبَاكُ

And on the seashore stood a hunter of the night.

A night hunter stood on the seashore

Night is his snare, and the stars his nets.

With the night as his trap and the stars as his net