خِلتُهُ لَمّا تَبَدّى

خِلتُهُ لَمّا تَبَدّى

قَمَراً غُصنِ بانِ

قَمَراً غُصنِ بانِ

I thought him, when he appeared,

When he appeared,

a moon upon a bān-tree bough.

like a moon on a swaying branch,

هَزَّهُ العَجَبُ فَوَلّى

هَزَّهُ العَجَبُ فَوَلّى

يَتَثَنّى كَالعِنانِ

يَتَثَنّى كَالعِنانِ

Wonder stirred him, and he turned away,

wonder made me shy away

swaying like a rein.

and bend like a bridle.

نازِحُ الدارِ قَريبُ ال

نازِحُ الدارِ قَريبُ ال

ذِكرِ في كُلِّ مَكانِ

ذِكرِ في كُلِّ مَكانِ

His dwelling distant, yet he is near in

Dear neighbor, you are often recalled

remembrance in every place.

in every place.

أَقطَعُ اللَيلَ بِذِكرا

أَقطَعُ اللَيلَ بِذِكرا

هُ نَديماً لِلأَماني

هُ نَديماً لِلأَماني

I pass the night in remembrance of

I while away the night remembering you,

him, keeping company with wishes.

a boon companion to my hopes.