وَلَيلَةٍ ما خَلَصتُ مِنها

وَلَيلَةٍ ما خَلَصتُ مِنها

إِلى خُفوقٍ وَلا مَنامِ

إِلى خُفوقٍ وَلا مَنامِ

And a night from which I found no escape

And a night I could not free myself

Into drowsiness or sleep.

From wakefulness or sleep,

يَفعَلُ فيها ضِياءُ وَجهي

يَفعَلُ فيها ضِياءُ وَجهي

ما يَفعَلُ البَدرُ في الظَلامِ

ما يَفعَلُ البَدرُ في الظَلامِ

In it, the radiance of my face does

My face doing therein

What the full moon does in darkness.

What the moon does amid darkness.

عِفتُ بِها الخَمرَ وَهيَ تُجلى

عِفتُ بِها الخَمرَ وَهيَ تُجلى

وَالكَأسُ مَحطوطَةُ اللِثامِ

وَالكَأسُ مَحطوطَةُ اللِثامِ

I spurned the wine that night as it was unveiled,

I abstained from wine while it shone clear,

And the cup's veil was cast aside.

The goblet veiled.

وَحاشَ لِلبَدرِ وَهوَ وَجهي

وَحاشَ لِلبَدرِ وَهوَ وَجهي

يَخطُبُ شَمساً مِنَ المُدامِ

يَخطُبُ شَمساً مِنَ المُدامِ

And far be it from the full moon—which is my face—

Far from the moon that is my face

To woo a sun of wine.

Seeking a sun from the wine!

غَيري مِنَ الخَمرِ في رِضاعٍ

غَيري مِنَ الخَمرِ في رِضاعٍ

أَرغَبُ عَنهُ إِلى الفِطامِ

أَرغَبُ عَنهُ إِلى الفِطامِ

Others suckle on wine;

Another than I is suckled on wine.

I turn from that toward weaning.

I yearn from it towards weaning.