وَلَقَد دَخَلتُ الحَيَّ يُخشى أَهلُهُ

بَعدَ الهُدوءِ وَبَعدَما سَقَطَ النَدى

I entered the neighborhood though its people were feared

After the calm and after the dew had fallen

فَوَجَدتُ فيهِ حُرَّةً قَد زُيِّنَت

بِالحَليِ تَحسَبُهُ بِها جَمرَ الغَضا

There I found a free woman adorned with jewelry

That you would think her coal embers with it

لَمّا دَخَلتُ مَنَحتُ طَرفي غَيرَها

عَمداً مَخافَةَ أَن يُرى رَيعُ الهَوى

When I entered, I averted my eyes from her

Deliberately, fearing the passion would be seen

كَيما يَقولَ مُحَدَّثٌ لِجَليسِهِ

كَذَبوا عَلَيها وَالَّذي سَمَكَ العُلى

Lest a conversing friend says to his companion

"They lied about her, by Him who created the Highest Heaven"

قالَت لِأَترابٍ نَواعِمَ حَولَها

بيضِ الوُجوهِ خَرائِدٍ مِثلِ الدُمى

She said to her fair companions around her

Of white faces, gazelles like pure pearls

بِاللَهِ رَبِّ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدِّثنَني

حَقّاً أَما تَعجَبنَ مِن هَذا الفَتى

"By Allah, Lord of Muhammad, tell me truly

Are you not surprised by this young man?

الداخِلِ البَيتَ الشَديدَ حِجابُهُ

في غَيرِ ميعادٍ أَما يَخشى الرَدى

Entering a house of intense seclusion

At an improper time, does he not fear rejection?"

فَأَجَبتُها إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُعَوَّدٌ

بِلِقاءِ مَن يَهوى وَإِن خافَ العِدى

I replied, "A lover is accustomed

To meeting whom he loves, even if he fears harm"

فَنَعِمتُ بالاً إِذ دَخَلتُ عَلَيهِمُ

وَسَقَطتُ مِنها حَيثُ جِئتُ عَلى هَوى

So I attained a blessing when I entered upon them

And I fell from it where I came, following passion

بَيضاءُ مِثلُ الشَمسِ حينَ طُلوعِها

مَوسومَةٌ بِالحُسنِ تُعجِبُ مَن رَأى

White like the sun at its rising

Marked with beauty, amazing all who saw