وَلَيلَةٍ راقبتُ فيها الهَوى

وَلَيلَةٍ راقبتُ فيها الهَوى

عَلى رَقيبٍ غَيرِ وسنانِ

عَلى رَقيبٍ غَيرِ وسنانِ

And many a night I kept watch for love,

One night I spied upon the passion

despite a watcher who was not drowsy.

With a guard other than companion

وَالرّاحُ ما تَنزِلُ عَن راحَتي

وَالرّاحُ ما تَنزِلُ عَن راحَتي

وَقتاً وَعَن راحَةِ نَدمَاني

وَقتاً وَعَن راحَةِ نَدمَاني

And the wine never left my palm,

The wind ceased not from my comfort

even for a moment, nor my drinking companion's palm.

And from the comfort of the blamer

وَرُبَّ يَومٍ قَيظُهُ مُنضِجٌ

وَرُبَّ يَومٍ قَيظُهُ مُنضِجٌ

كَأَنَّهُ أَحشَاءُ ظَمآن

كَأَنَّهُ أَحشَاءُ ظَمآن

And many a day whose summer heat was scorching,

And days whose heat was boiling

as though it were a thirsty man's entrails.

As if their innards thirsting

أَبرزَ في خَدَّيهِ لي رشحُه

أَبرزَ في خَدَّيهِ لي رشحُه

طَلا عَلى وردٍ وَسوسان

طَلا عَلى وردٍ وَسوسان

His sweat revealed to me upon his cheeks

Brought to my cheeks its drizzle

dew upon roses and lilies.

A request upon roses and lilies

فَكانَ في تَحليلِ أَزرارِهِ

فَكانَ في تَحليلِ أَزرارِهِ

أَقودَ لي مِن أَلفِ شَيطان

أَقودَ لي مِن أَلفِ شَيطان

So the unfastening of his buttons proved

So it was in its loosing of buttons

more enticing to me than a thousand devils.

Drove me from a thousand demons

فُتِّحتِ الجَنةُ مِن جَيبِهِ

فُتِّحتِ الجَنةُ مِن جَيبِهِ

فَبتُّ في دَعوةِ رِضوان

فَبتُّ في دَعوةِ رِضوان

Paradise was opened wide through his neckline,

Paradise opened from his pocket

so I spent the night at Ridwan's invitation.

So I passed night in prayers and blessing

مروءةٌ في الحُبِّ تَنهى بِأَن

مروءةٌ في الحُبِّ تَنهى بِأَن

نُجاهِرَ اللَّه بِعصيان

نُجاهِرَ اللَّه بِعصيان

Honor in love forbids us

In love, chivalry warns against

to confront God openly with disobedience.

Defying God openly by disobedience