وراهبةٍ طرقناها بليل

وراهبةٍ طرقناها بليل

ودونَ مزارِها أرَجٌ يفوح

ودونَ مزارِها أرَجٌ يفوح

And we called upon a nun by night,

A cloistered nun we passed at night,

And fragrance wafted outside her dwelling.

And by her shrine sweet scents took flight.

فهبتْ في الظلامِ إلى مدامٍ

فهبتْ في الظلامِ إلى مدامٍ

كأن شعاعها قبسٌ يلوح

كأن شعاعها قبسٌ يلوح

So she rose in the darkness to fetch wine,

She glided through the dark to meet

As though its radiance were a gleaming firebrand.

Our group, her lantern's beam so bright.

وحيتنا بعافيةٍ شمول

وحيتنا بعافيةٍ شمول

كما يترقرق الدمعُ السفوح

كما يترقرق الدمعُ السفوح

And wine greeted us with good health,

With peace and health she came to greet

Shimmering like freely flowing tears.

As tears down cheeks in droplets fleet.

كأنا قد سلبنا الديكَ عيناً

كأنا قد سلبنا الديكَ عيناً

فقامَ من الكرى فزعاً يصيح

فقامَ من الكرى فزعاً يصيح

As though we had robbed the rooster of an eye,

The cockerel's eye we seemed to steal

So it rose from slumber, crying out in fright.

So crying out he rose, alarmed.