فديتُهُ من زائرٍ زارني

فديتُهُ من زائرٍ زارني

واللّيل مُسْوَدُّ الجلابيبِ

واللّيل مُسْوَدُّ الجلابيبِ

May I be his ransom—the visitor who came to me,

I ransomed him from a visitor who visited me

While the night wore black cloaks.

While the night has covered everyone in darkness

زار وفيه كلّ ما ينبغي

زار وفيه كلّ ما ينبغي

في النّاس من حُسنٍ ومن طِيبِ

في النّاس من حُسنٍ ومن طِيبِ

He came, and in him was all that is desirable

He visited and in him is everything that should be

In people, of beauty and sweetness.

In people of beauty and goodness

ولم يَضِرْها أنّها زَورَةٌ

ولم يَضِرْها أنّها زَورَةٌ

لعازبِ الآراء مكذوبِ

لعازبِ الآراء مكذوبِ

Nor was it diminished by being a visit

It did not harm her that she is a liar

To one whose thoughts had wandered, deceived.

To the opinions of the single, lying

باطلةٌ روّتْ لنا غُلَّةً

باطلةٌ روّتْ لنا غُلَّةً

والحقّ لم يأتِ بمطلوبِ

والحقّ لم يأتِ بمطلوبِ

Unreal, it quenched our burning thirst,

False, she told us a story

While reality brought nothing we sought.

And the truth did not come as requested

لولا الكرى ما جاد لي بالمُنى

لولا الكرى ما جاد لي بالمُنى

معشّقٌ يعشقُ تعذيبي

معشّقٌ يعشقُ تعذيبي

But for sleep, he would not have granted me my wishes—

If not for the generosity, he would not have given me what I wished

An adored one who loves tormenting me.

A lover who loves my torment

وكيف لا أهوى لذيذَ الكرى

وكيف لا أهوى لذيذَ الكرى

محبَّباً جاء بمحبوبِ

محبَّباً جاء بمحبوبِ

And how could I not love sweet sleep,

And how can I not love the sweetness of generosity

Made dear because it brought my beloved?

A beloved who came with whom is beloved