نامَ الخَلِيُّ وَبِتُّ غَيرَ موَسَّدِ أَ

رَعى النُجومَ بِها كَفِعلِ الأَرمَدِ

The dreamer slept without a pillow

He herded the stars as the sleepless do

حَتّى إِذا الجَوزاءُ وَهناً حَلَّقَت

وَعَلَت كَواكِبُها كَجَمرٍ موقَدِ

Until the Pleiades withdrew tiredly

And its stars rose like glowing embers

نامَ الأُلى لَيسَ الهَوى مِن شَأنِهِم

وَكَفاهُمُ الإِدلاجَ مَن لَم يَرقُد

The companions slept, love was not their concern

Darkness sufficed those who did not slumber

في لَيلَةٍ طَخياءَ يُخشى هَولُها

ظَلماءَ مِن لَيلِ التَمامِ الأَسوَدِ

On a gloomy night, its horrors feared

Pitch black from the darkness whole

فَطَرَقتُ بابَ العامِريَّةِ موهِناً

فِعلَ الرَفيقِ أَتاهُمُ لِلمَوعِدِ

I knocked on the door of the populated house

As friends do when they have an appointment

فَإِذا وَليدَتُها فَقُلتُ لَها اِفتَحي

لِمُتَيَّمٍ صَبِّ الفُؤادِ مُصَيَّدِ

There her maid came so I said uncover

For a love-struck heart, a passionate hunter

فَتَفَرَّجَ البابانِ عَن ذي مِرَّةٍ

ماضٍ عَلى العِلّاتِ لَيسَ بِقُعدُدِ

The two doors opened for a handsome man

Firm in his ascent, no laggard was he

فَتَجَهَّمَت لَمّا رَأَتني داخِلاً

بِتَلَهُّفٍ مِن قَولِها وَتَهَدُّدِ

She frowned when she saw me enter

Yearning from her threats and reprimands

ثُمَّ اِرعَوَت شَيئاً وَخَفَّضَ جَأشَها

بَعدَ الطُموحِ تَهَجُّدي وَتَوَدُّدي

Then she calmed down and softened her demeanor

After ambition, my courting and wooing

في ذاكَ ما قَد قُلتُ إِنّي ماكِثٌ

عَشراً فَقالَت ما بَدا لَكَ فَاِقعُدِ

I said I would stay ten days here

She said no need, just take a seat

حَتّى إِذا ما العَشرَ جَنَّ ظَلامُها

قالَت أَلا حانَ التَفَرُّقُ فَاِعهَدِ

When the ten nights passed in darkness

She said it's time we go our ways

وَاِذكُر لَنا ما شِئتَ مِمّا تَشتَهي

وَاللَهِ لا نَعصيكَ أُخرى المُسنَدِ

Remember what you desire

By God, we won't disobey you again