يا ليلةً لا أزال أذكرها

ما نسيت ليلة وأشكرها

O night I still remember,

I have not forgotten a night to thank it.

وفت سليمى فيها بموعد هنا

إذ طرقت والظلام يضمرها

When I met Slayma in it at an appointment here,

As she knocked while the darkness was brewing it.

وغاب عنا رقيبنا فصفت

وكان يخشى منه تكدرها

Our chaperone was absent from us, so I described her,

And he used to fear his sullying it.

بتنا ضجيعين في ملاحف يط

ويها الهوى تارة وينشرها

We two lay down in soft bedsheets,

And they were sometimes stirred by passion and sometimes spread them.

أنهل من ريقها على ضماء

صهباء فوها الشهي معصرها

I sipped from her saliva on a blazing thirst,

Her radiant mouth the noble pressed it.

نقلي على شرب ريقها قبل

تشعل نار الهوى وتسعرها

Relate to me on drinking her saliva before,

The fire of love blazes and inflames it.

إن مل لفظ مكرر فمنى

نفسي في لفظةٍ تكررها

If my repeated word is from me,

My soul in an expression repeats it.

جاريةٌ ذات منظرٍ حسن

أحسن تصويرها مصورها

A maid of beautiful appearance,

Her portrayer beautified portraying her.

كالغصن قداً والبدر إن سفرت

شبيهها في الظباء أحورها

Like a branch in stature and the full moon, if she travels,

Her likeness among the gazelles enchants it.

فمن كثيبٍ واراه مئزرها

وبدر تم غطاه معجزها

With a prominent bosom and he covered her waist wrapper,

And a full moon completed shrouding her.

طيبة الأصل لست أنسبها

مخافة أن يغار معشرها

Good stock she is, I do not attribute her

Fearing her companions will envy her.

وخافت الصبح أن ينم على

مكانها ضوءه فيشهرها

And she feared the dawn would sleep in,

Its light in her place exposing her.

فودعتني عجلي وأدمعها

يبل أردانها تحدرها

She bid me goodbye in haste and her tears,

Wet her cheeks streaming them.

وانصرفت في رداء مكرمةٍ

وحلتي عفةٍ تجررها

And she left in an honorable gown,

And my state of chastity dragging it.

رداؤها الصون والعفاف فما

تكاد عين الأنامِ تنظرها

Her gown is modesty and chastity, so the,

Eyes of people can barely look on her.