نُمتُ إِلى الصُبحِ وَإِبليسُ لي

نُمتُ إِلى الصُبحِ وَإِبليسُ لي

في كُلِّ ما يُؤثِمُني خَصمُ

في كُلِّ ما يُؤثِمُني خَصمُ

I slept until dawn, and Iblis was my

I awoke in the morning with Iblis as my adversary

I slept until dawn, with Iblis as my adversary in every sin that burdens me,

adversary in all that would make me sin.

In everything that makes me sinful, he is my opponent

I saw him rising high within the atmosphere, then he plummeted, pursued by a star.

رَأَيتُهُ في الجَوِّ مُستَعلِياً

رَأَيتُهُ في الجَوِّ مُستَعلِياً

ثُمَّ هَوى يَتبَعُهُ نَجمُ

ثُمَّ هَوى يَتبَعُهُ نَجمُ

I saw him rising high in the sky;

I saw him haughtily floating in the air

He sought to steal a hearing of the heavens, but the stony meteor did not hesitate to bring him down.

then he fell, pursued by a star.

Then a star followed him and he fell under the barrage

As he fell, he said to me, "Welcome to a penitent whose repentance is but an illusion!"

أَرادَ لِلسَمعِ استِراقاً فَما

أَرادَ لِلسَمعِ استِراقاً فَما

عَتَّمَ أَن أَهبَطَهُ الرَجمُ

عَتَّمَ أَن أَهبَطَهُ الرَجمُ

He sought to steal a hearing, but did not

He wanted to eavesdrop, but could not

"Have you any desire for a shapely virgin, adorned by a magnificent bosom,"

tarry before the pelting brought him down.

When the pelting brought him down

"With thick hair flowing down her back, black as the color of the grapevine?"

فَقالَ لي لَمّا هَوى مَرحَباً

فَقالَ لي لَمّا هَوى مَرحَباً

بِتائِبٍ تَوبَتُهُ وَهمُ

بِتائِبٍ تَوبَتُهُ وَهمُ

Then, as he fell, he said to me, 'Welcome

He said to me, when he fell, greetings

I said, "No." He said, "Then a beardless lad, whose ample buttocks quiver,"

to a penitent whose repentance is an illusion!

To a penitent whose repentance is pretense

"Resembling a virgin in her secluded chamber, though his throat bears no necklace?"

هَل لَكَ في عَذراءَ مَمكورَةٍ

هَل لَكَ في عَذراءَ مَمكورَةٍ

يَزينُها صَدرٌ لَها فَخمُ

يَزينُها صَدرٌ لَها فَخمُ

Would you care for a shapely virgin,

Do you want a smooth-cheeked maiden

I said, "No." He said, "Then a singing youth, skilled in the striking of strings and melody?"

adorned by her ample bosom,

With a chest that arches over her breasts?

I said, "No." He said, "Then in shunning all that resembles what I mentioned, there is indeed prudence."

وَوارِدٌ جَثلٌ عَلى مَتنِها

وَوارِدٌ جَثلٌ عَلى مَتنِها

أَسوَدُ يَحكي لَونَهُ الكَرمُ

أَسوَدُ يَحكي لَونَهُ الكَرمُ

and thick, flowing hair upon her back,

A black camel is mounted on her back

"Yet I do not despair of a return from you, despite your resistance, you dullard."

black, its hue mirrored by the grapevine?'

Its color mimics dried grapes

"I am not Abu Murrah if you do not return, for acting otherwise would be a sheer injustice from you."

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً أَمرَدٌ

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً أَمرَدٌ

يَرتَجُّ مِنهُ كَفَلٌ فَعمُ

يَرتَجُّ مِنهُ كَفَلٌ فَعمُ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'A beardless youth,

I said no. He said: a beardless boy

whose plump rump quivers,

With a double chin overflowing with charm

كَأَنَّهُ عَذراءُ في خِدرِها

كَأَنَّهُ عَذراءُ في خِدرِها

وَلَيسَ في لَبَّتِهِ نَظمُ

وَلَيسَ في لَبَّتِهِ نَظمُ

like a virgin in her secluded chamber,

He is like a maiden in her tent

and with no necklace at his throat?'

Though he has no grace or rhyme

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً مُسمَعٌ

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً مُسمَعٌ

يُحسِنُ مِنهُ النَقرُ وَالنَغمُ

يُحسِنُ مِنهُ النَقرُ وَالنَغمُ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'A young singer,

I said no. He said: a boy with a lovely voice

who excels in plucking and melody?'

Skillful in melodies and tunes

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَفي كُلِّ ما

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَفي كُلِّ ما

شابَهَ ما قُلتُ لَكَ الحَزمُ

شابَهَ ما قُلتُ لَكَ الحَزمُ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'Then, in all that

I said no. He said: then everything

resembles what I have said, resolve is yours.

That resembles what I told you, be prudent about

ما أَنا بِالآيِسِ مِن عَودَةٍ

ما أَنا بِالآيِسِ مِن عَودَةٍ

مِنكَ عَلى رَغمِكَ يا فَدمُ

مِنكَ عَلى رَغمِكَ يا فَدمُ

I do not despair of a return

I do not despair that you will return

from you, despite yourself, you dolt!

Despite you, O damned one

لَستُ أَبا مُرَّةَ إِن لَم تَعُد

لَستُ أَبا مُرَّةَ إِن لَم تَعُد

فَغَيرُ ذا مِن فِعلِكَ الغَشمُ

فَغَيرُ ذا مِن فِعلِكَ الغَشمُ

I am not Abu Murrah if you do not return;

I am not to be fooled if you do not come back

for any other conduct of yours is reckless folly.'

For this is not of your usual deceit