في بِذلةِ النَّومِ قد تبدَّى

في بِذلةِ النَّومِ قد تبدَّى

مُزرقَّةٍ يرتدِي وِشاحا

مُزرقَّةٍ يرتدِي وِشاحا

In sleeping attire he appeared,

In the humiliation of sleep appeared,

blue, wearing a sash.

Wearing a blue cloak,

فهل رَأيتم جمَالَ بَدرٍ

فهل رَأيتم جمَالَ بَدرٍ

إن في ازرِقَاقِ السَّماء لاحَا

إن في ازرِقَاقِ السَّماء لاحَا

Have you, then, seen the beauty of a full moon

Have you seen the beauty of the full moon,

when it shines in the blue of the sky?

When it rose in the blueness of the sky?

يا مَن غزا قلبَنَا بلحظٍ

يا مَن غزا قلبَنَا بلحظٍ

وقامةٍ تُخجِلُ الرِّمَاحا

وقامةٍ تُخجِلُ الرِّمَاحا

O you who conquered our heart with a glance

O you who conquered our hearts with a glance,

and a stature that puts spears to shame!

And a stature that puts spears to shame,

عيناكَ فينا تجدُّ فِعلا

عيناكَ فينا تجدُّ فِعلا

والقولُ مِنكم غدَا مِزاحا

والقولُ مِنكم غدَا مِزاحا

Your eyes act upon us in earnest,

Your eyes find in us a reaction,

while your speech has turned to jest.

While words from you have become joking,

بل أنتَ تروي حديثَ لُطفٍ

بل أنتَ تروي حديثَ لُطفٍ

وإننا نحتَسيهِ رَاحا

وإننا نحتَسيهِ رَاحا

Rather, you recount a tale of tenderness,

Rather you narrate a story of gentleness,

and indeed we sip it as wine.

While we perceive it as comfort,

تَروي نِكاتا لنا عِذابا

تَروي نِكاتا لنا عِذابا

فتُخرِس الألسُنَ الفِصَاحا

فتُخرِس الألسُنَ الفِصَاحا

You tell us sweet witticisms,

You narrate to us agonizing subtleties,

and so silence eloquent tongues.

That make eloquent tongues fall silent,

ألجفنُ لم يكتحِل بغمضٍ

ألجفنُ لم يكتحِل بغمضٍ

والقلبُ في الوجد ما استَراحا

والقلبُ في الوجد ما استَراحا

The eyelid has not worn the kohl of sleep,

My eyelids did not wear kohl of sleep,

and the heart has found no rest in longing.

And my heart did not find rest in passion,

إرحَم مُحِبا لكم وَلُوعا

إرحَم مُحِبا لكم وَلُوعا

خافَ على سِرِّه افتِضَاحا

خافَ على سِرِّه افتِضَاحا

Have mercy on a lover ardently devoted to you,

Have mercy on a lover, anguished for you,

who feared his secret would be exposed.

Fearing his secret will be exposed,

فلا تلُمه فما توانَى

فلا تلُمه فما توانَى

مُكتِّما جَهده وبَاحا

مُكتِّما جَهده وبَاحا

So do not blame him, for he spared no effort,

So do not blame him, he did not hesitate,

concealing it as best he could, yet he confessed.

Concealing his struggle, though crying out.