وَظَلامٍ قَيَّدَ العَينَ بِهِ

لَيلَةٌ ضَلَّ بِها العَينَ الكَرى

A night, in which darkness blindfolded the eye

In which the kohl-lined eye went astray

خُضتُهُ وَالدِّرعُ فَوقي وَطَوَتْ

تَحتيَ المُهرَةُ أَجوازَ الفَلا

I held its rein and my coat of mail was over me

Under me the skittish mare strode powerfully

لَمعَ النَّجمُ عَلى جَبهَتِها

وَتَرَدَّتْ بِجلابيبِ الدُّجَى

The stars glittered on their foreheads

As they moved slowly in the robes of darkness

فَأَتَتْ ريماً هَضيماً كَشحُهُ

ثَمِلَ العَينَينِ مَوهونَ الخُطا

Then she came trotting gently, her cheek sunken

Her eyes full, her stride graceful

كادَ يَشفَي بِجنَى ريقَتِهِ

غُلَّةً مَسجورَةً لَولا التُّقَى

Her saliva almost cured me of my anguish

If not for my devotion a pleasurable illness

وَوَشى العِطرُ بِهِ إِذ بَلَّهُ

آخِرَ اللَيلِ سَقيطٌ مِن نَدى

The perfume mingled with it as the dew descended

At the end of night in a gentle drizzle

وَأَذاعَ الحَلْيُ سِرّاً كاتِماً

فَتَرَكنا مِن تَوَقِّهِ السُّرى

The trinkets broadcast a secret I kept

So we left our desire unsatisfied

وَأَرابَ الحَيَّ حَتَّى هابَهُمْ

رَشا عانَقَهُ ذِئبُ الغَضى

And she made the tribe flee until they feared her

When she embraced the wolf of wrath

إِنَّ ما أَحذَرُهُ أَربَعَةٌ

تُودِعُ القَلبَ تَباريحَ الجَوى

I fear only four things

That lodge sorrows in the heart's crevices

وَأَنا مِنها كَمَن يَبتَلُّ مِن

دَمِهِ أَشداقُ آسادِ الشَّرى

And I am like one who suffers from

The fangs of the most vicious lions

عَرَقٌ طابَ وَوَجهٌ يَرتَدِي

بِسَنا البَدرِ وَمِسكٌ وَحُلَى

Sweat that smelled sweet, a face that wore

The full moon's radiance, musk and aloe