1. مَرَّت عَلى الخُفاشِ

    مَليكَةُ الفَراشِ

    She passed by the bat,

    the queen of moths,

  2. تَطيرُ بِالجُموعِ

    سَعياً إِلى الشُموعِ

    flying with the throngs

    in pursuit of candles.

  3. فَعَطَفَت وَمالَت

    وَاِستَضحَكَت فَقالَت

    Then she turned and leaned toward him,

    and laughed, then said:

  4. أَزرَيتَ بِالغَرامِ

    يا عاشِقَ الظلامِ

    "You have shown contempt for love,

    O lover of darkness!

  5. صِف لي الصَديقَ الأَسوَدا

    الخامِلَ المُجَرَّدا

    Describe to me the black friend,

    the obscure, unadorned one."

  6. قالَ سَأَلتِ فيهِ

    أَصدَقَ واصِفيهِ

    He said: "You have asked about him

    the most truthful of those who describe him.

  7. هُوَ الصَديقُ الوافي

    الكامِلُ الأَوصافِ

    He is the faithful friend,

    perfect in every quality.

  8. جِوارُهُ أَمانُ

    وَسِرُّهُ كِتمانُ

    His nearness is safety,

    and his secret is concealed.

  9. وَطَرفُهُ كَليلُ

    إِذا هَفا الخَليلُ

    And his gaze is dim

    when his close friend goes astray.

  10. يَحنو عَلى العُشّاقِ

    يَسمَعُ لِلمُشتاقِ

    He is tender toward lovers,

    he listens to the one who yearns.

  11. وَجُملَةُ المَقالِ

    هُوَ الحَبيبُ الغالي

    And, to sum up my words,

    he is the cherished beloved."

  12. فَقالَتِ الحَمقاءُ

    وَقَولُها اِستِهزاءُ

    Then the foolish one said,

    and her words were mockery:

  13. أَينَ أَبو المِسكِ الخَصي

    ذو الثَمَنِ المُستَرخَصِ

    "How can Abu al-Misk, the eunuch,

    whose price is so paltry,

  14. مِن صاحِبي الأَميرِ

    الظاهِرِ المُنيرِ

    compare with my companion, the prince,

    so prominent and radiant?

  15. إِن عُدَّ فيمَن أَعرِفُ

    أَسمو بِهِ وَأَشرُفُ

    If he is counted among those I know,

    through him I rise and gain honor.

  16. وَإِن سُئِلتُ عَنهُ

    وَعَن مَكاني مِنهُ

    And if I am asked about him

    and about my place with him,

  17. أُفاخِرُ الأَترابا

    وَأَنثَني إِعجابا

    I boast before my peers

    and turn away in admiration."

  18. فَقالَ يا مَليكَه

    وَرَبَّةَ الأَريكَه

    Then he said: "O queen,

    and mistress of the couch,

  19. إِنَّ مِنَ الغُرورِ

    مَلامَةَ المَغرورِ

    indeed, it is folly

    to reproach the deluded.

  20. فَأَعطِني قَفاك

    وَاِمضي إِلى الهَلاك

    So turn your back to me,

    and go to your doom."

  21. فَتَرَكَتهُ ساخِرَه

    وَذَهَبَت مُفاخِرَه

    So she left him, scoffing,

    and went away boasting.

  22. وَبَعدَ ساعَةٍ مَضَت

    مِنَ الزَمانِ فَاِنقَضَت

    And after an hour had passed,

    that span of time now ended,

  23. مَرَّت عَلى الخُفّاشِ

    مَليكَةُ الفَراشِ

    she passed by the bat,

    the queen of moths,

  24. ناقِصَةَ الأَعضاءِ

    تَشكو مِنَ الفَناءِ

    with body parts missing,

    lamenting her ruin.

  25. فَجاءَها مُنهَمِكا

    يُضحِكُهُ مِنها البُكا

    Then he came to her, engrossed,

    her weeping making him laugh.

  26. قالَ أَلَم أَقُل لَكِ

    هَلكتِ أَو لَم تَهلِكي

    He said: "Did I not tell you—

    whether you perish or not—

  27. رُبَّ صَديقٍ عَبدِ

    أَبيَضُ وَجهِ الوُدِّ

    that many a friend who is a slave,

    white-faced in his affection,

  28. يَفديكَ كَالرَئيسِ

    بِالنَفسِ وَالنَفيسِ

    will ransom you like a chief

    with his life and his treasures,

  29. وَصاحِبٍ كَالنورِ

    في الحُسنِ وَالظُهورِ

    and many a companion, like light

    in beauty and outward appearance,

  30. مُعتَكِرَ الفُؤادِ

    مُضَيِّعَ الوِدادِ

    is murky at heart,

    squandering affection,

  31. جِبالُهُ أَشراكُ

    وَقُربُهُ هَلاكُ

    his mountains snares,

    and his nearness doom?"