وَزَوْرٍ أَتَى وَاللَّيْلُ يَحْدُو رِكابَهُ

وَزَوْرٍ أَتَى وَاللَّيْلُ يَحْدُو رِكابَهُ

وَما لِقِلاصِ النَّجْمِ فيهِ مُنيخُ

وَما لِقِلاصِ النَّجْمِ فيهِ مُنيخُ

And a visitor came, while night sang his riding camels onward,

And nightfall came as the evening urged on its steed

And in it there was none to make the stars’ young she-camels kneel.

Yet the morning star’s lamp still burned bright

أُحَدِّثُهُ سِرَّاً وَلِلْبَدْرِ نَحْوَنا

أُحَدِّثُهُ سِرَّاً وَلِلْبَدْرِ نَحْوَنا

تَلَفُّتُ واشٍ وَالنُّجومُ تُصيخُ

تَلَفُّتُ واشٍ وَالنُّجومُ تُصيخُ

I speak to him in secret, while toward us the full moon

I whispered to it secretly while to the moon yonder

Casts a tale-bearer’s glances, and the stars listen intently.

A glance I stole as the stars winked and peered