ولمّا تَمَلأَ مِن سُكْرِهِ

ولمّا تَمَلأَ مِن سُكْرِهِ

فنامَ ونامَت عُيونُ العَسَسْ

فنامَ ونامَت عُيونُ العَسَسْ

And when he was brimming with drunkenness,

When he was filled with his drunkenness

he slept, and the night watchmen’s eyes slept;

And slept while the eyes of the guards slept

دَنَوْتُ إِلَيهِ على بُعْدِهِ

دَنَوْتُ إِلَيهِ على بُعْدِهِ

دُنُوَّ رَفِيقٍ دَرَى ما الْتَمَسْ

دُنُوَّ رَفِيقٍ دَرَى ما الْتَمَسْ

I drew near to him, despite his distance,

I drew near to him from afar

like a gentle companion who knew what he sought.

The approach of a gentle friend who saw what he sought

أَدِبُّ إِلَيْهِ دَبِيبَ الكَرَى

أَدِبُّ إِلَيْهِ دَبِيبَ الكَرَى

وأَسْمُو إِلَيْهِ سُمُوَّ النَّفَسْ

وأَسْمُو إِلَيْهِ سُمُوَّ النَّفَسْ

I creep toward him as drowsiness creeps,

I speak to him with the murmur of worry

and rise toward him as breath rises.

And rise to him with the ascent of a soul

أُقَبِّلُ منه بَياضَ الطُّلَى

أُقَبِّلُ منه بَياضَ الطُّلَى

وأَرْشُفُ منه سَوادَ اللَّعَسْ

وأَرْشُفُ منه سَوادَ اللَّعَسْ

I kiss the whiteness of his neck,

I kiss from him the whiteness of cheeks

and sip the darkness of his dusky lips.

And sip from him the darkness of radiant eyes

وبِتُّ به لَيْلتي ناعِماً

وبِتُّ به لَيْلتي ناعِماً

إِلى أَنْ تَبَسَّمَ ثَغْرُ الغلَسْ

إِلى أَنْ تَبَسَّمَ ثَغْرُ الغلَسْ

And I spent my night with him in bliss,

I spend my night with him in bliss

until the mouth of the predawn gloom smiled.

Until the bud of the rose tree smiled