يا ليلةً حتى الصباح سهرتُها

قابلتُ فيها بَدرَها بأخيهِ

O night I stayed up until dawn

In it I met its full moon and its crescent

سمحَ الزمانُ بها فكانت ليلةً

عَذُبَ العتابُ بها لمجتذبيه

Time allowed it, so it was a night

In it, reproach was gently sweet for the reproached

أحييتُها وأمَتُّها عن حاسدٍ

ما هَمُّهُ إلاَّ الحديث يَشيه

I celebrated it and protected it from the envious

Whose only concern is malicious gossip

ومُعانقي حُلو الشمائل أهيفُ

جُمِعَت ملاحةُ كُلِّ شيءٍ فيه

And my embracing the sweet-natured

The saltiness of everything was gathered in it

يختال معتدلاً فإن عبث الصبا

بقوامهِ مُتَعَرِّضاً يثنيه

He sways moderately, for if the morning breeze

Played with his figure, inclining it

نَشوان تهجم بي عليه صبابتي

وبردُّني وَرَعي فاستحييه

My youthful excitement assaulted me toward him

And my composure and decency embarrassed him

عَلِقَت يدي بعذاره وبخدِّه

هذا أُقَبِّلهُ وذا أجنيه

My hand clung to his forearm and his cheek

I kiss this and avoid that

لو لم تخالط زفرتي أنفاسُه

كانت تنمُّ بنا إلى واشيه

If my sighs didn't mingle with his breaths

They would have grown in us to the point of perdition

حَسَدَ الصباحُ الليلَ لما ضَمَّنا

غَيظاً فَفَرَّقَ بيننا داعيه

Morning envied night for embracing us

Angrily, so its caller separated us