بِأَبِي زائراً أتانِيَ لَيْلاً

بِأَبِي زائراً أتانِيَ لَيْلاً

سارِقاً نَفسَه منَ البوّابِ

سارِقاً نَفسَه منَ البوّابِ

May my father be his ransom—a visitor who came to me by night,

May my father be ransom for a visitor who came to me by night,

stealing himself past the gatekeeper.

stealing himself past the doorkeeper.

ما ثَناه عنِّي تَقَضِّي شَبابِي

ما ثَناه عنِّي تَقَضِّي شَبابِي

وهْوَ في وجْنتيه ماءُ الشّبابِ

وهْوَ في وجْنتيه ماءُ الشّبابِ

The waning of my youth did not turn him away from me,

The passing of my youth did not turn him away from me,

though upon his cheeks lay the very water of youth.

while in his cheeks was the water of youth.

باتَ بيني وبينه خَشيَةُ الل

باتَ بيني وبينه خَشيَةُ الل

هِ وخوفُ العذابِ يومَ العذابِ

هِ وخوفُ العذابِ يومَ العذابِ

All night, between him and me, stood fear of God,

Between him and me that night stood fear of

along with dread of punishment on the Day of Punishment.

God, and fear of punishment on the day of punishment.

لَم أَزِدْهُ شيئاً وَبينَ ضُلوعي

لَم أَزِدْهُ شيئاً وَبينَ ضُلوعي

كلُّ شَوقٍ على مَليحِ العتابِ

كلُّ شَوقٍ على مَليحِ العتابِ

I went no further with him, though within my ribs

I gave him nothing more—though between my ribs

was every longing for one charming even in reproach.

lay every longing—than sweet reproach.

ثمَّ ولَّى كَما أَتى أَرِجَ الأخ

ثمَّ ولَّى كَما أَتى أَرِجَ الأخ

بارِ في النّاسِ طيّبَ الأثوابِ

بارِ في النّاسِ طيّبَ الأثوابِ

Then he departed as he had come, his reputation fragrant

Then he turned away as he had come, fragrant in

among the people, and his garments sweet-scented,

reputation among people, his garments pure,

عالماً أنّنِي وإنْ كنتُ أهوا

عالماً أنّنِي وإنْ كنتُ أهوا

هُ فغيرُ الحَرامِ منه طِلابي

هُ فغيرُ الحَرامِ منه طِلابي

knowing that, though I desired him,

knowing that, even though I loved

what I sought from him was nothing forbidden.

him, I sought from him nothing forbidden.

وَلَقد جاءني وَما كانَ في نفْ

وَلَقد جاءني وَما كانَ في نفْ

سِيَ إسعافُهُ ولا في حِسابي

سِيَ إسعافُهُ ولا في حِسابي

Indeed he came to me, though it had never crossed my mind

And indeed he came to me, though it was not in

to grant his wish, nor had I counted on it.

my mind that he would favor me, nor in my reckoning.

غَيرَ أَنّي عَفَفْتُ حتّى كأنّي

غَيرَ أَنّي عَفَفْتُ حتّى كأنّي

لا أُباليهِ أو بغَيْرِيَ ما بِي

لا أُباليهِ أو بغَيْرِيَ ما بِي

Yet I kept myself chaste until I seemed

Yet I remained chaste, until it was as though I

not to care for him—or as though another bore what I felt.

cared nothing for him, or another bore what ailed me.