كَم بتُّ وَبالزُهر عَقَدتُ اللَحظا

كَم بتُّ وَبالزُهر عَقَدتُ اللَحظا

مِن وَصلِ حَبيبَتي أرجّي حظّا

مِن وَصلِ حَبيبَتي أرجّي حظّا

How often I spent the night, fastening my gaze upon the bright stars,

How often I strung the flowers and hoped

Hoping for a share of union with my beloved.

For union with my love, some joy to reap -

لَم يَنفَعني وَعَينُ جَدّي رَقَدَت

لَم يَنفَعني وَعَينُ جَدّي رَقَدَت

عَينٌ رَعَت النُجومَ فيها يَقظى

عَينٌ رَعَت النُجومَ فيها يَقظى

No help came to me, while the eye of my fortune slept,

My father's vigilance availed me naught;

From an eye that watched the stars, wakeful through the night.

Mine eye watched stars while his was closed in sleep.