ما بالُ قَلبِكَ عادَهُ أَطرابُهُ

وَلِدَمعِ عَينِكَ مُخضِلاً تَسكابُهُ

What ails your heart, so restless and disturbed,

And why do tears from your eyes pouring down?

ذِكرى تَذَكَّرَها الرَبابُ وَهَمُّهُ

حَتّى يُغَيَّبَ في التُرابِ رَبابُهُ

Memories remembered by the wood and fret,

Until it hides in the soil and decays.

قالَت لِنائِلَةَ اِذهَبي قولي لَهُ

إِن كانَ أَجمَعَ رِحلَةً أَصحابُهُ

She said to the messenger, “Go, tell him,

If he journeys with all his friends,

فَليَبقَ بَعدَهُمُ لَدَينا لَيلَةً

فَلَهُ عَلَيَّ بِأَن يُجادَ ثَوابُهُ

Then let him stay with me one night,

For he will be rewarded by me.”

قُلتُ اِذهَبي قولي لَها قَد طالَ ما

حُبِسَت لَدَيكِ عَلى الكَلالِ رِكابُهُ

I said, “Go, tell her my stay

Has been long in your abode and carriage.

بِتنا بِأَنعَمِ لَيلَةٍ وَأَلَذِّها

لِلنَفسِ ما سَتَرَ الصَباحَ حِجابُهُ

We spent the most delightful night,

Concealing it from dawn with its veil.

حَتّى إِذا ما الصُبحُ أَشرَقَ ضَوءُهُ

عَن لَونِ أَشقَرَ واضِحٍ أَقرابُهُ

Until the morning shone its light,

Revealing his fair and glowing complexion.

قالَت مُوَكَّلَةٌ بِحِفظِ كَلامِها

لِمُعَلَّمٍ حاطَ النَعيمَ شَبابُهُ

The guard entrusted with her words said,

To the learned youth enjoying life,

أَخشى عَلَيهِ العَينَ إِن بَصُرَت بِهِ

وَتَرى صَبابَتَنا بِهِ فَتَهابُهُ

“I fear the evil eye if it sees him,

And finds our youth alluring.

إِنَّ النَهارَ وَذاكَ حَقٌّ واضِحٌ

وَاللَيلُ يَخفى بِالظَلامِ رِكابُهُ

The day reveals things clearly,

While night hides them in its darkness.”