أَلا بأَبي زائِرِي في العتَمْ

أَلا بأَبي زائِرِي في العتَمْ

بوجْهٍ يُجلِّي سَواد الظُّلَمْ

بوجْهٍ يُجلِّي سَواد الظُّلَمْ

Ah, may my father be ransom for my visitor in the dark,

Oh, my dear friend came to me in the dark night

with a face that dispels the blackness of darkness.

With a face that dispels the blackness of gloom

تَكَتَّم باللَّيْلِ في ظِلِّهِ

تَكَتَّم باللَّيْلِ في ظِلِّهِ

وهل يُمْكِنُ الصُّبْحُ أَن يُكتَتَمْ

وهل يُمْكِنُ الصُّبْحُ أَن يُكتَتَمْ

He concealed himself by night within its shadow—

He snuck in the night under its cover

but can the dawn be concealed?

And can the dawn ever be concealed?

أَتى يسْتَجِيرُ أَلِيفاً له

أَتى يسْتَجِيرُ أَلِيفاً له

كما جاوب البانُ رطب العنَمْ

كما جاوب البانُ رطب العنَمْ

He came seeking protection from an intimate of his,

He came seeking refuge, a friend of his

as the bān tree answered the tender ʿanam shrub.

As the wild olive answers the ripe fruit

وقد رقَّ مَا وَرْدُ تلك الخُدُودِ

وقد رقَّ مَا وَرْدُ تلك الخُدُودِ

بما سال مِن مِسْك تِلْكَ اللِّمَمْ

بما سال مِن مِسْك تِلْكَ اللِّمَمْ

And the rosewater of those cheeks had grown delicate

The roses of those cheeks have been softened

with the musk that flowed from those tresses.

By the musk dripping from those pretty lips

وكانَ يُحمْحِمُ تَحْتَ العِذارِ

وكانَ يُحمْحِمُ تَحْتَ العِذارِ

كحمْحمةِ الخَيْلِ تَحْتَ اللُّجمْ

كحمْحمةِ الخَيْلِ تَحْتَ اللُّجمْ

And he was murmuring beneath his cheek-down,

And he was murmuring under the veil

like the nickering of horses beneath their bridles.

Like the neighing of horses under the bridle

فقُلْتُ مَنِ الزَّائِرِي والدُّجى

فقُلْتُ مَنِ الزَّائِرِي والدُّجى

يَسُدُّ العُيُونَ بِثَوْبٍ أَحمّ

يَسُدُّ العُيُونَ بِثَوْبٍ أَحمّ

So I said, 'Who is my visitor, while the darkness

So I said who's this visitor in the dark

blocks the eyes with a pitch-black robe?'

That covers eyes with a garment, so obscure?

فقالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ لائِمٌ

فقالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ لائِمٌ

بما جِئْتَ مِن كَذِبٍ يُنْتَظَمْ

بما جِئْتَ مِن كَذِبٍ يُنْتَظَمْ

He said, 'Abu Jaʿfar, reproaching you

Abu Ja'far blamed me

for the lies you brought, strung into verse.'

For the lies I came up with, so naïve

فأَيْقَنْتُ أَنَّ أَبا خالِدٍ

فأَيْقَنْتُ أَنَّ أَبا خالِدٍ

سَرى وخيالَ حَبِيبي أَلَمّ

سَرى وخيالَ حَبِيبي أَلَمّ

Then I knew for certain that Abu Khalid

I knew for certain that Abu Khalid

had traveled by night, and my beloved's phantom had come to visit.

Was the fantasy and dreams of my love, so dear

فأَبْصرْتُ وجْهاً حكاهُ الهِلال

فأَبْصرْتُ وجْهاً حكاهُ الهِلال

وثغراً حكى الدُّرّ لمّا ابْتَسمْ

وثغراً حكى الدُّرّ لمّا ابْتَسمْ

Then I beheld a face the crescent moon resembled,

I saw a face like the crescent moon

and a mouth that resembled pearls when he smiled.

And lips like pearls when they smile

وإِلا فَعفْوٌ يُقِيلُ العِثار

وإِلا فَعفْوٌ يُقِيلُ العِثار

فذُو العرْشِ يَرْحمُ مَن قد رحِمْ

فذُو العرْشِ يَرْحمُ مَن قد رحِمْ

And if not, then pardon that forgives missteps,

Otherwise, forgiveness overlooks mistakes

for the Lord of the Throne has mercy on whoever has shown mercy.

For the Lord of the Throne has mercy on those He loves

فقالَ بلِ العفُو ياسيّدِي

فقالَ بلِ العفُو ياسيّدِي

وقَبَّلَني مِن بَعِيدٍ وضَمّ

وقَبَّلَني مِن بَعِيدٍ وضَمّ

He said, 'Rather, pardon, my lord!'

He said: But forgiveness, my master

and kissed me from afar, and embraced me.

And kissed me from afar and embraced

فبِتُّ على بردِ طِيبِ الرّضا

فبِتُّ على بردِ طِيبِ الرّضا

أُسرُّ بلَيْلِي وإِنْ لم أَنَمْ

أُسرُّ بلَيْلِي وإِنْ لم أَنَمْ

So I spent the night in the cool sweetness of contentment,

I spent the night happy with sweet acceptance

delighting in my night, though I did not sleep.

Delighted with my night, even without sleep

وقُلْتُ ابْنَ زَيْدُونَ لا كُنْتَ لِي

وقُلْتُ ابْنَ زَيْدُونَ لا كُنْتَ لِي

بِخَالٍ ولا كُنْتَ لِي بابْن عَمّ

بِخَالٍ ولا كُنْتَ لِي بابْن عَمّ

And I said, 'Ibn Zaydun, may you never be my

And I said: Son of Zaydun, you weren't to me

maternal uncle, nor ever be my paternal cousin!

A maternal uncle, nor a cousin

خَبيثٌ سَعى بَيْنَنا بالنَّمِيم

خَبيثٌ سَعى بَيْنَنا بالنَّمِيم

وقَطَّعَ خُلَّتنَا بالجلَمْ

وقَطَّعَ خُلَّتنَا بالجلَمْ

A scoundrel who went between us with malicious gossip,

An evil man who sowed discord with gossip

and severed our friendship with shears!'

And severed our friendship with wounding words