ولما تعرض لى زائرا

ولما تعرض لى زائرا

وما كان عندى له موعد

وما كان عندى له موعد

And when he appeared before me as a visitor,

When an unexpected guest visited me,

Though I had no appointment with him,

And I had made no appointment with him,

سهرت اغتناماً لليل الوصال

سهرت اغتناماً لليل الوصال

لعلمى به انه ينفد

لعلمى به انه ينفد

I stayed awake to make the most of the night of union,

I spent the night savoring our meeting,

For I knew that it would come to an end.

Knowing well how fleeting it would be.

فقال وقد رق لى قلبه

فقال وقد رق لى قلبه

وأيقن انى به مكمد

وأيقن انى به مكمد

So he said, his heart having softened toward me,

Seeing how my heart was moved,

And knowing for certain that I was grief-stricken over him:

He knew I yearned for his company,

اذا كنت تسهر ليل الوصال

اذا كنت تسهر ليل الوصال

وليل النوى فمتى ترقد

وليل النوى فمتى ترقد

If you stay awake through the night of union,

And said: “If you stay up enjoying our time together,

And the night of separation, then when do you sleep?

And thinking fondly of me, when will you ever rest?”