1. يا لَيلَةً أَذكَرَتني

    قِدماً لَيالِيَ وَصلي

    O night that recalled to me

    the long-ago nights of my union,

  2. أَيّامَ عَصرِ التَصابي

    بِالغيدِ تَجمَعُ شَملي

    the days of youthful dalliance,

    when I was reunited with graceful beauties,

  3. في فِتيَةٍ كَنُجومٍ

    أَضحَت لَطيفَةَ شَكلِ

    among young men like stars

    that were graceful in form,

  4. بِغُرفَةٍ في بِناها

    تَسمو النُجومَ بِفَضلِ

    in a chamber that, in its construction,

    surpasses the stars in excellence,

  5. غَرّاء باتَ نَديمي

    حَتّى الصَباح وَيُملي

    radiant—my boon companion stayed

    until morning, recounting

  6. بِها عَلَيَّ حَديثاً

    عَنِ المُدامَةِ يُسلي

    to me within it a tale

    of wine, to cheer me:

  7. ظَبيٌ إِذا ما تَبَدّى

    سَبا البَرايا بِدَلِّ

    a gazelle who, whenever he appeared,

    captivated all creation with his coy grace.

  8. يَفتَرُّ عَن ذي غُروب

    عَذبٌ عَنِ الراحِ يُجلي

    He smiles, revealing a mouth with sharp-edged teeth,

    so sweet it draws one away from wine.

  9. وَيَنثَني بِقَوامٍ

    كَخوط بانَةِ رَملِ

    And he sways with a figure

    like a bān-tree's slender bough in the sand.

  10. مَن لي بِرَشفِ لَماهُ

    مِن لي بِذَلِكَ مَن لي

    Who will grant me a sip from his dark lips?

    Who will grant me that—who will?

  11. ذُو مُقلَةِ الريمِ وَسنى

    بِلَحظِها رامَ قَتلي

    Possessing a gazelle's drowsy eye,

    he sought to kill me with its glance.

  12. ما زِلتُ أَنقُل عَنهُ

    سِحرَ العُيون وَتُملي

    I kept transcribing from him

    the magic of eyes, as they dictated,

  13. حَتّى إِذا النَجمُ أَهوى

    لِغَربِهِ في تَدَلّي

    until, when the star sank

    toward its setting, descending,

  14. وَأَقبَل الصُبحُ لَمّا

    مَرَّ الدُجى في تَولّي

    and dawn approached, as

    the darkness passed, retreating,

  15. غَدا بِنارِ غَرامٍ

    بَينَ الجَوانِح مُصلي

    he was now, with a fire of passion,

    setting me ablaze between my ribs.