ما بال طيفك زار محتشماً

لو لم يزر ما كان متهما

Why did your specter visit me discreetly

If he had not visited, he would not have been blamed

وافى وقد نام السمير وما

شعر الرقيب به ولا علما

He came while the guard was asleep, unaware

And the night had spread its curtains

والليل قد مدت ستائره

والصبح لم ينشر له علما

And the dawn had not yet unfurled its banners

I wished the night would lengthen

فوددت أن الليل طال وأ

ن الصبح لم يفتر مبتسماً

And the dawn would not break smiling

O specter of intimacy, you have reached me

يا طيف علوة قد وصلت على

رغم الوشاة من الهوى رحما

Despite the slanderers' disapproval out of love as a mercy

I remained submissive since we parted

ما زلت أخضع يوم فرقته

والبين قد مزج الدموع دما

And separation mixed tears with blood

So I became enraged and feverish

فتملت عضبا واختمرت

وأباحني فمه وكان حمى

And his mouth made me permissible, though it was forbidden

So I kissed him to stop him

فلثمت منه تمنعه

من لاثميه مبسماً شبما

From kissing me, smiling playfully

And I looked in the mirror that judges days

ونظرت في مرآة واعظة الا

يام شيئاً عمم اللمما

Something the faults had made public

After today there is only our specters

ليس بعد اليوم إلا طيفنا

في الصالحات مقدما خدما

Among the righteous deeds going forward in service