أفدي الذي زارني والليلُ معتكرٌ

أفدي الذي زارني والليلُ معتكرٌ

والأفقُ ممّا اكتسى من عُرفِه عَطِرُ

والأفقُ ممّا اكتسى من عُرفِه عَطِرُ

I would ransom the one who visited me while the night was thick with darkness,

I ransom the one who visited me while the night was dark,

and the horizon, clothed in his fragrance, was sweet-scented.

And the horizon was fragrant from its familiar scents.

فلم نَزَل نتجارى في العتاب معاً

فلم نَزَل نتجارى في العتاب معاً

أشكو اليه جفاهُ وهو يعتذرُ

أشكو اليه جفاهُ وهو يعتذرُ

And we kept trading reproaches together:

So we did not stop competing in blame,

I complained to him of his coldness, while he apologized.

I complain of his aloofness and he makes excuses.

حتى إذا ما اعتنقنا واستتبَّ لنا

حتى إذا ما اعتنقنا واستتبَّ لنا

على ارادتنا عيشٌ له خَطَرُ

على ارادتنا عيشٌ له خَطَرُ

Until, when we embraced and there was secured for us,

Until we embraced and settled comfortably,

as we wished, a life of great worth,

A life of purpose was intended for us.

ناديتُ ياليل دُم ليلاً بلا سَحَرٍ

ناديتُ ياليل دُم ليلاً بلا سَحَرٍ

فقال ليلك هذا كلَّه سَحَرُ

فقال ليلك هذا كلَّه سَحَرُ

I cried, "O night, remain night, without a dawn!"

I called, "O night, stay a night without sorcery!"

He replied, "This night of yours is dawn throughout."

He said, "This night of yours is all sorcery."