وَلَقَد دَخَلتُ الحَيَّ يُخشى أَهلُهُ

وَلَقَد دَخَلتُ الحَيَّ يُخشى أَهلُهُ

بَعدَ الهُدوءِ وَبَعدَما سَقَطَ النَدى

بَعدَ الهُدوءِ وَبَعدَما سَقَطَ النَدى

Indeed, I entered the encampment whose people were feared,

I entered the neighborhood though its people were feared

After the stillness, and after the dew had fallen.

After the calm and after the dew had fallen

فَوَجَدتُ فيهِ حُرَّةً قَد زُيِّنَت

فَوَجَدتُ فيهِ حُرَّةً قَد زُيِّنَت

بِالحَليِ تَحسَبُهُ بِها جَمرَ الغَضا

بِالحَليِ تَحسَبُهُ بِها جَمرَ الغَضا

There I found a freeborn woman who had been adorned

There I found a free woman adorned with jewelry

With jewelry that, upon her, you would take for embers of ghada wood.

That you would think her coal embers with it

لَمّا دَخَلتُ مَنَحتُ طَرفي غَيرَها

لَمّا دَخَلتُ مَنَحتُ طَرفي غَيرَها

عَمداً مَخافَةَ أَن يُرى رَيعُ الهَوى

عَمداً مَخافَةَ أَن يُرى رَيعُ الهَوى

When I entered, I cast my gaze on someone other than her,

When I entered, I averted my eyes from her

Deliberately, for fear that love's stirrings might be seen,

Deliberately, fearing the passion would be seen

كَيما يَقولَ مُحَدَّثٌ لِجَليسِهِ

كَيما يَقولَ مُحَدَّثٌ لِجَليسِهِ

كَذَبوا عَلَيها وَالَّذي سَمَكَ العُلى

كَذَبوا عَلَيها وَالَّذي سَمَكَ العُلى

So that a listener might say to his companion:

Lest a conversing friend says to his companion

'They lied about her, by Him who raised the heavens!'

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

قالَت لِأَترابٍ نَواعِمَ حَولَها

قالَت لِأَترابٍ نَواعِمَ حَولَها

بيضِ الوُجوهِ خَرائِدٍ مِثلِ الدُمى

بيضِ الوُجوهِ خَرائِدٍ مِثلِ الدُمى

She said to delicate companions her own age around her,

She said to her fair companions around her

Fair-faced, shy maidens like figurines:

Of white faces, gazelles like pure pearls

بِاللَهِ رَبِّ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدِّثنَني

بِاللَهِ رَبِّ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدِّثنَني

حَقّاً أَما تَعجَبنَ مِن هَذا الفَتى

حَقّاً أَما تَعجَبنَ مِن هَذا الفَتى

'By God, Muhammad's Lord, tell me

"By Allah, Lord of Muhammad, tell me truly

Truly, are you not amazed at this young man,

Are you not surprised by this young man?

الداخِلِ البَيتَ الشَديدَ حِجابُهُ

الداخِلِ البَيتَ الشَديدَ حِجابُهُ

في غَيرِ ميعادٍ أَما يَخشى الرَدى

في غَيرِ ميعادٍ أَما يَخشى الرَدى

Who enters the house so closely guarded,

Entering a house of intense seclusion

With no meeting arranged—does he not fear death?'

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

فَأَجَبتُها إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُعَوَّدٌ

فَأَجَبتُها إِنَّ المُحِبَّ مُعَوَّدٌ

بِلِقاءِ مَن يَهوى وَإِن خافَ العِدى

بِلِقاءِ مَن يَهوى وَإِن خافَ العِدى

I answered her: 'Indeed, a lover is accustomed

I replied, "A lover is accustomed

To meeting the one he loves, even if he fears his foes.'

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

فَنَعِمتُ بالاً إِذ دَخَلتُ عَلَيهِمُ

فَنَعِمتُ بالاً إِذ دَخَلتُ عَلَيهِمُ

وَسَقَطتُ مِنها حَيثُ جِئتُ عَلى هَوى

وَسَقَطتُ مِنها حَيثُ جِئتُ عَلى هَوى

So I was at ease when I entered their company,

So I attained a blessing when I entered upon them

And on my arrival, I found favor with her.

And I fell from it where I came, following passion

بَيضاءُ مِثلُ الشَمسِ حينَ طُلوعِها

بَيضاءُ مِثلُ الشَمسِ حينَ طُلوعِها

مَوسومَةٌ بِالحُسنِ تُعجِبُ مَن رَأى

مَوسومَةٌ بِالحُسنِ تُعجِبُ مَن رَأى

Fair as the sun at its rising,

White like the sun at its rising

Marked with beauty, she delights all who see her.

Marked with beauty, amazing all who saw