وَأَغَرَّ إِنْ عَذَرَ الوَرَى

وَأَغَرَّ إِنْ عَذَرَ الوَرَى

في حُبِّهِ عَذَلَ الحِجى

في حُبِّهِ عَذَلَ الحِجى

And a radiant one—if people excuse

He tempted me, though the people reproached his love,

My love for him, reason reproaches me.

And blamed me for loving him beyond all reason.

وَرَقِيبُهُ في نَاظِري

وَرَقِيبُهُ في نَاظِري

يَ قَذىً وَفي صَدْري شَجَى

يَ قَذىً وَفي صَدْري شَجَى

And his watcher, in my eyes,

My watcher spied on me, his gaze like spears in my eyes,

Is a mote, and in my breast, a choking grief.

His love like fire burning my heart.

أَهْوَى إِلَيَّ بِكَأْسِهِ

أَهْوَى إِلَيَّ بِكَأْسِهِ

كَاَلجَمْرِ حِينَ تَأَجَجَّا

كَاَلجَمْرِ حِينَ تَأَجَجَّا

He reached toward me with his cup,

He offered me his cup, glowing like embers,

Like embers when they blaze.

While darkest night still cloaked the land.

وَاللَّيْلُ أَسْحَمُ لَمْ يَكَدْ

وَاللَّيْلُ أَسْحَمُ لَمْ يَكَدْ

سِرْبَالُهُ أَنْ يُنْهِجَا

سِرْبَالُهُ أَنْ يُنْهِجَا

And the night was jet-black; scarcely had

Dawn began to glimmer, its hem just lifting,

Its robe begun to wear thin.

The palace unveiled by the morning's brilliance,

فَافْتَرَّ عَنْ قِصَر أَهَا

فَافْتَرَّ عَنْ قِصَر أَهَا

بَ بِفَجْرِهِ فَتَبَلَّجَا

بَ بِفَجْرِهِ فَتَبَلَّجَا

Then, after a brief spell, it parted and called

Like a ray of dawn grasping night's dark tresses.

Forth its dawn, and grew bright.

وَكَأَنَّ طُرَّةً صُبْحِهِ

وَكَأَنَّ طُرَّةً صُبْحِهِ

لِيثَتْ بِناصِيَةِ الدُّجَى

لِيثَتْ بِناصِيَةِ الدُّجَى

And it was as though its morning's fringe

Were wound about the forelock of darkness.