رَفَعَ البَدْرُ عَلينا سُجُفا

من طِرازِ اللَّيلِ فيه سَجَفُ

The full moon rose over us,

In the manner of night's embroidery, embroided;

ما عَرفناها نُفوسٌ تَلِفَتْ

أمْ عُقولٌ عندهُ تُخْتَطَفُ

We knew not whether it was a troop of spirits

Whose thoughts were stolen away,

أمْ زُلَيْخاءُ الهَوى قد أُذْهِلَتْ

حينَما طَلَّ عليها يوسُفُ

Or the Zulaikhas of passion whose hearts

Were enslaved when Yusuf shone forth,

مُحِقَتْ وَجداً وذابَتْ لَوْعةً

واعْتَراها بعدَ هذا الشَّغَفُ

Annihilated with ardour, dissolved with longing,

And thereafter ensnared in this infatuation.

أمْ من النَّوَّارِ زَهرٌ فائِحٌ

أمْ هو الوردُ الَّذي يُقْتَطَفُ

Is it an effulgent blossom in the darkness,

Or is it the rose plucked in the night?

أمْ هي الشَّمسُ تَراءَتْ وعلى

وَلَهٍ في حُبِّها تَنْكَسِفُ

Is it the sun that appeared unveiled to lovers,

And by their love was eclipsed?

أمْ هي الآثارُ قامتْ كُلُّها

ومنَ المَحْبوبِ فيها تُحَفُ

Is it the traces that remain after all have gone

Whereby the beloved is remembered?

عَجَباً واعَجَباً واعَجَباً

هو حَرفٌ فَهْمُهُ مُنْحَرِفُ

Wonders upon wonders upon wonders!

A word whose meaning is twisted!

هو ليلٌ ما بهِ من طالِعٍ

هو بحرٌ ما لدَيهِ طَرَفُ

A night without daybreak,

A sea without shore!

فَخُذوا الحَيْرَةَ لا تَنْقَلِبوا

أبداً عنها وفيها فَقِفوا

Take on bewilderment and do not turn away from it,

Linger and do not leave.