للهِto God (expressing admiration) ليلتُناour night التيwhich رَحُبَتْgrew spacious لَناfor us
للهِ ليلتُنا التي رَحُبَتْ لَنا
فيهاin it المسرّةُthe joy فيin مجالٍa space ضَيّقِnarrow
فيها المسرّةُ في مجالٍ ضَيّقِ
How wondrous our night, in which there spread wide for us
For Allah, our night that broadened for us
joy within a narrow space.
In it is pleasure, in a narrow space
ماnot شَابَهاtainted it لولاwere it not for مَشِيبُgraying ظلامِهاits darkness
ما شَابَها لولا مَشِيبُ ظلامِها
كَدَرٌdistress ولاand not راعَتْit frightened بِواشٍwith a tale-bearer مُحنَقِenraged
كَدَرٌ ولا راعَتْ بِواشٍ مُحنَقِ
It was not marred—save for the graying of its darkness—
It would not have been marred, were it not for the graying of its darkness
by distress, nor did it frighten us with an enraged tale-bearer.
Troublesome and it was not guarded by a grumbling guardian
فلوِso if استطعتُI could خَضَبتُهاI would dye it بشَبيبتيwith my youth
فلوِ استطعتُ خَضَبتُها بشَبيبتي
وجعلتُand I would place لونَthe color صَباحِهاits dawn فيin مَفرِقيmy hair's parting
وجعلتُ لونَ صَباحِها في مَفرِقي
So, if I could, I would dye it with my youth,
If only I could dye it with my youth
and place the color of its dawn in the parting of my hair.
And make the color of its morning in the parting of my hair