ألا زارت سُحيراً وهي سَكرى

ألا زارت سُحيراً وهي سَكرى

وقد كادت عيونُ اللّيلِ تكرىَ

وقد كادت عيونُ اللّيلِ تكرىَ

Lo! She came to visit shortly before dawn, intoxicated,

Alas she came intoxicated in the night

and the eyes of night had almost fallen asleep.

When the eyes of darkness were about to close

بدت بدراً فقلتُ لها احتجاجاً

بدت بدراً فقلتُ لها احتجاجاً

أيبدو البدرُ في الأسحارِ بدرا

أيبدو البدرُ في الأسحارِ بدرا

She appeared as a full moon, so I said to her in protest:

She appeared like a full moon so I protested

"Does the full moon appear full in the hours before dawn?"

Does the full moon appear at dawn?

فقالت نارُ حبّكَ في فؤادي

فقالت نارُ حبّكَ في فؤادي

أرتكَ النُّورَ في وَجهي مُورّى

أرتكَ النُّورَ في وَجهي مُورّى

So she said, "The fire of love for you in my heart

She said the fire of your love in my heart

has shown you the light kindled in my face."

Left your light on my face renewed

وقالت لي على وجلٍ أتُبدي

وقالت لي على وجلٍ أتُبدي

لغيرِكَ زَورتي بَطراً وغَدرا

لغيرِكَ زَورتي بَطراً وغَدرا

And she said to me fearfully, "Will you reveal

And she told me in distress will you show

my visit to anyone besides yourself, in wanton pride and treachery?"

Your false self to others, betrayal and harm

فقلتُ لها تُريديني لِسرٍّ

فقلتُ لها تُريديني لِسرٍّ

وقد أظهرتِ منه ما استسرا

وقد أظهرتِ منه ما استسرا

So I said to her, "You want me to keep a secret,

So I told her you want me for a secret

yet you have revealed what was hidden in it.

Yet you have revealed what was hidden

سَفرتِ وفاحَ عَرفُكِ مُستطيراً

سَفرتِ وفاحَ عَرفُكِ مُستطيراً

فطبّقتِ الفَضا نُوراً ونَشرا

فطبّقتِ الفَضا نُوراً ونَشرا

You unveiled your face, and your fragrance spread far and wide,

You traveled and your fragrance spread fluttering

so you filled the air with light and fragrance."

Blanketing space with light and bloom

فقالَ العاذلاتُ أقمتَ عُذراً

فقالَ العاذلاتُ أقمتَ عُذراً

كذاك الحبُّ يبدي الذّنبَ عُذرا

كذاك الحبُّ يبدي الذّنبَ عُذرا

Then the reproaching women said, "You have supplied an excuse."

So the lovers said you made an excuse

Thus love presents the fault as an excuse.

Such is love, turning fault into cause