زَرْتُ حِمَى الحَسْنَاءِ وَالشَّمسُ قَدْ

تَنَزَّلَتْ عَنْ عَرْشِهَا القَائِمِ

I visited the abode of the beautiful one, and the sun had

descended from its towering throne,

وَكَمَدَ النُّورُ فِمِنْ مُذْهَبٍ

إِلَى لُجَيْنِيٍّ إِلَى عَاتِمِ

And the light withdrew, from a golden hue

to darkish, to pitch black.

وَعَبَسَ الأُفْقُ فَلا يُجْتَلَى

سِوَى نُجَيْمٍ رَاجِفٍ بَاسِمِ

The horizon frowned, naught could be seen

save a blinking star, glittering, obscure,

مُشَارِفٍ حِجْلَتَهَا نَاظِرٍ

لَهَا بِعَيْنِ المُغْرَمِ الْهَائِمِ

Peering at her tent, gazing

with the eye of a lovesick, restless man,

يَخْفُق خَفْقَ الآثِمِ المُتَّقِي

فَيَا لَهُ مِنْ مُتَّقٍ آثِمِ

Fluttering with the flutters of a sinner in awe -

what an awe-struck sinner!

رَأَيْتُهُ يَبْدُو بِمِرْآتِهَا

وَيَنْثَنِي فِي قَلَقٍ دَائِمِ

I saw him emerge in her mirror

and withdraw in constant disquiet,

مُرَاقِباً عَنْ كَثَبٍ رَائِماً

مَا عَزَّ مَطْلُوباً عَلَى الرَّائِمِ

Keeping close watch, wakeful,

undeterred by wakefulness.

حَتَّى إِذَا عَنَّ لَهُ شَخْصُهَا

وَقَدْ بَدَتْ فِي وَشْيِهَا النَّاعِمِ

Until, when her person turned to him,

and she appeared in her soft beauty,

كَمَلَكٍ بَاهِي السَّنَى يَنْجَلِي

فِي فَلَكٍ مِنْ حَوْلِهِ قَاتِمِ

Like an angel, radiant, drawing light

from a sphere around her, darkened,

خَالَسَهَا فِي ثَغْرِهَا قُبْلَةً

وَكَانَ كَالدُّرَّةِ فِي الْخَاتِمِ

He stole from her mouth a kiss,

and it was as a pearl in the ring’s setting.