زُرتُ المَليحَةَ وَالرَّقِي

زُرتُ المَليحَةَ وَالرَّقِي

بُ يَروعُني ذاكَ الخَبيثُ

بُ يَروعُني ذاكَ الخَبيثُ

I visited the fair one, while the watcher

I visited the alluring one at nightfall

frightened me—that wicked fellow—

In a place that frightens me, that wicked one

في لَيلَةٍ ما كانَ مِن

في لَيلَةٍ ما كانَ مِن

هُ سِوى دُجاها مَن يُغيثُ

هُ سِوى دُجاها مَن يُغيثُ

on a night when none could protect me from

There was none other than the dark of night

him but its darkness.

To hear my cries for help in that lonely place

فَلَقيتُ سَلمى وَالكَرى

فَلَقيتُ سَلمى وَالكَرى

في عَينِهِ فُقِئَتْ يَعيثُ

في عَينِهِ فُقِئَتْ يَعيثُ

So I met Salma, while sleep

I met Salma and her companion there

ran riot in his eye—may it be gouged out!

With mischief in her eyes, up to no good

وَالفَجرُ في أَثَرِ الظَلا

وَالفَجرُ في أَثَرِ الظَلا

مِ يَهُزُّهُ العَنَقُ الحَثيثُ

مِ يَهُزُّهُ العَنَقُ الحَثيثُ

And dawn, in the wake of darkness,

And dawn followed closely on the darkness

was propelled onward by its swift, urgent gait.

Shaking it off impatiently, eager to advance

ثُمَّ اِنصَرَفتُ وَلَم يَكُن

ثُمَّ اِنصَرَفتُ وَلَم يَكُن

إِلّا عِناقٌ أَو حَديثُ

إِلّا عِناقٌ أَو حَديثُ

Then I departed, and there had been

Then I left and nothing had occurred

nothing but an embrace or conversation.

Other than an embrace or sweet talk