بِأَبِي زائراً أتانِيَ لَيْلاً

سارِقاً نَفسَه منَ البوّابِ

May my father be his ransom—a visitor who came to me by night,

stealing himself past the gatekeeper.

ما ثَناه عنِّي تَقَضِّي شَبابِي

وهْوَ في وجْنتيه ماءُ الشّبابِ

The waning of my youth did not turn him away from me,

though upon his cheeks lay the very water of youth.

باتَ بيني وبينه خَشيَةُ الل

هِ وخوفُ العذابِ يومَ العذابِ

All night, between him and me, stood fear of God,

along with dread of punishment on the Day of Punishment.

لَم أَزِدْهُ شيئاً وَبينَ ضُلوعي

كلُّ شَوقٍ على مَليحِ العتابِ

I went no further with him, though within my ribs

was every longing for one charming even in reproach.

ثمَّ ولَّى كَما أَتى أَرِجَ الأخ

بارِ في النّاسِ طيّبَ الأثوابِ

Then he departed as he had come, his reputation fragrant

among the people, and his garments sweet-scented,

عالماً أنّنِي وإنْ كنتُ أهوا

هُ فغيرُ الحَرامِ منه طِلابي

knowing that, though I desired him,

what I sought from him was nothing forbidden.

وَلَقد جاءني وَما كانَ في نفْ

سِيَ إسعافُهُ ولا في حِسابي

Indeed he came to me, though it had never crossed my mind

to grant his wish, nor had I counted on it.

غَيرَ أَنّي عَفَفْتُ حتّى كأنّي

لا أُباليهِ أو بغَيْرِيَ ما بِي

Yet I kept myself chaste until I seemed

not to care for him—or as though another bore what I felt.