نُمتُ إِلى الصُبحِ وَإِبليسُ لي

في كُلِّ ما يُؤثِمُني خَصمُ

I awoke in the morning with Iblis as my adversary

I slept until dawn, with Iblis as my adversary in every sin that burdens me,

In everything that makes me sinful, he is my opponent

I saw him rising high within the atmosphere, then he plummeted, pursued by a star.

رَأَيتُهُ في الجَوِّ مُستَعلِياً

ثُمَّ هَوى يَتبَعُهُ نَجمُ

I saw him haughtily floating in the air

He sought to steal a hearing of the heavens, but the stony meteor did not hesitate to bring him down.

Then a star followed him and he fell under the barrage

As he fell, he said to me, "Welcome to a penitent whose repentance is but an illusion!"

أَرادَ لِلسَمعِ استِراقاً فَما

عَتَّمَ أَن أَهبَطَهُ الرَجمُ

He wanted to eavesdrop, but could not

"Have you any desire for a shapely virgin, adorned by a magnificent bosom,"

When the pelting brought him down

"With thick hair flowing down her back, black as the color of the grapevine?"

فَقالَ لي لَمّا هَوى مَرحَباً

بِتائِبٍ تَوبَتُهُ وَهمُ

He said to me, when he fell, greetings

I said, "No." He said, "Then a beardless lad, whose ample buttocks quiver,"

To a penitent whose repentance is pretense

"Resembling a virgin in her secluded chamber, though his throat bears no necklace?"

هَل لَكَ في عَذراءَ مَمكورَةٍ

يَزينُها صَدرٌ لَها فَخمُ

Do you want a smooth-cheeked maiden

I said, "No." He said, "Then a singing youth, skilled in the striking of strings and melody?"

With a chest that arches over her breasts?

I said, "No." He said, "Then in shunning all that resembles what I mentioned, there is indeed prudence."

وَوارِدٌ جَثلٌ عَلى مَتنِها

أَسوَدُ يَحكي لَونَهُ الكَرمُ

A black camel is mounted on her back

"Yet I do not despair of a return from you, despite your resistance, you dullard."

Its color mimics dried grapes

"I am not Abu Murrah if you do not return, for acting otherwise would be a sheer injustice from you."

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً أَمرَدٌ

يَرتَجُّ مِنهُ كَفَلٌ فَعمُ

I said no. He said: a beardless boy

With a double chin overflowing with charm

كَأَنَّهُ عَذراءُ في خِدرِها

وَلَيسَ في لَبَّتِهِ نَظمُ

He is like a maiden in her tent

Though he has no grace or rhyme

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَتىً مُسمَعٌ

يُحسِنُ مِنهُ النَقرُ وَالنَغمُ

I said no. He said: a boy with a lovely voice

Skillful in melodies and tunes

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَفي كُلِّ ما

شابَهَ ما قُلتُ لَكَ الحَزمُ

I said no. He said: then everything

That resembles what I told you, be prudent about

ما أَنا بِالآيِسِ مِن عَودَةٍ

مِنكَ عَلى رَغمِكَ يا فَدمُ

I do not despair that you will return

Despite you, O damned one

لَستُ أَبا مُرَّةَ إِن لَم تَعُد

فَغَيرُ ذا مِن فِعلِكَ الغَشمُ

I am not to be fooled if you do not come back

For this is not of your usual deceit