لا تَلقَ إِلّا بِلَيلٍ مِن تَواصُلُهُ

لا تَلقَ إِلّا بِلَيلٍ مِن تَواصُلُهُ

فَالشَمسُ نَمّامَةٌ وَاللَيلُ قَوّادُ

فَالشَمسُ نَمّامَةٌ وَاللَيلُ قَوّادُ

Do not meet the one you consort with except at night;

Meet not but only by night's concealment;

for the sun is a gossip, and the night a procurer.

For the sun is a tattler, but night a confidant.

كَم عاشِقٍ وَظَلامُ اللَيلِ يَستُرُهُ

كَم عاشِقٍ وَظَلامُ اللَيلِ يَستُرُهُ

لاقى أَحِبَّتَهُ وَالناسُ رُقّادُ

لاقى أَحِبَّتَهُ وَالناسُ رُقّادُ

How many a lover, concealed by the darkness of night,

How many a lover the night's darkness hides

has met his loved ones while people were asleep!

As he visits his beloved while people sleep.