بِأَبي مَن زارَني مُكتتِمّا

بِأَبي مَن زارَني مُكتتِمّا

حَذيراً مِن كُلِّ واشٍ جَزِعا

حَذيراً مِن كُلِّ واشٍ جَزِعا

May my father be a ransom for the one who visited me in secret,

By the one whose visitor came to me concealing,

Wary of every talebearer, fearful.

Cautious of every slanderous gossip, alarmed,

زائِراً نَمَّ عَلَيهِ حُسنُهُ

زائِراً نَمَّ عَلَيهِ حُسنُهُ

كَيفَ يُخفى اللَيلُ بَدراً طَلَعا

كَيفَ يُخفى اللَيلُ بَدراً طَلَعا

A visitor whose beauty betrayed him—

A visitor whose beauty slept upon him,

How can the night conceal a full moon that has risen?

How can the night conceal a rising moon?

رَصَدَ الغَفلَةَ حَتّى أَمكَنَت

رَصَدَ الغَفلَةَ حَتّى أَمكَنَت

وَرَعى السامِرَ حَتّى هَجَعا

وَرَعى السامِرَ حَتّى هَجَعا

He watched for a lapse in vigilance until it offered a chance,

He watched for the unmindful moment until it enabled,

And watched the night-time talkers until they slept.

And herded the conversation until it rested,

رَكِبَ الأَهوالَ في زَورَتِهِ

رَكِبَ الأَهوالَ في زَورَتِهِ

ثُمَّ ما سَلَّمَ حَتّى وَدَّعا

ثُمَّ ما سَلَّمَ حَتّى وَدَّعا

He braved terrors on his visit,

He rode the terrors in his falsehood,

Then no sooner had he greeted me than he bade farewell.

Then he did not bid safety until he bade farewell.