متى يطلعُ البدرُ من أفقهِ

متى يطلعُ البدرُ من أفقهِ

متى قفلُ حابسهِ يَسلُسُ

متى قفلُ حابسهِ يَسلُسُ

When will the full moon rise from its horizon?

When does the full moon rise from the horizon

When will his jailer's lock yield?

When does the one who imprisons it become loose

أتانا على وجلٍ رجلُهُ

أتانا على وجلٍ رجلُهُ

تَخُطُّ الصُحونَ ولا تلْمَسُ

تَخُطُّ الصُحونَ ولا تلْمَسُ

He came to us in fear, his foot

He came to us in haste, his feet unsteady

Tracing the courtyards, yet not touching them.

To take away the dishes without touching them

يَودُّ وقد نامَ حراسُهُ

يَودُّ وقد نامَ حراسُهُ

لو انّ العيونَ له تُطمَسُ

لو انّ العيونَ له تُطمَسُ

He wishes, with his guards already asleep,

He wishes, now that his guards are asleep

That the eyes might be blinded for his sake.

If only his eyes could be blinded

فبتنا ولم يكُ غير العناقِ

فبتنا ولم يكُ غير العناقِ

وغير رِداءِ الدُجى ملبَسُ

وغير رِداءِ الدُجى ملبَسُ

So we spent the night, with nothing but an embrace

So we stayed awake while none other

And the robe of darkness for clothing.

Than an embrace and the garment of darkness was our dress

وولى يُثنّي لنا عِطفَهُ

وولى يُثنّي لنا عِطفَهُ

وقد طابَ من ريحهِ المَجلِسُ

وقد طابَ من ريحهِ المَجلِسُ

And he departed, turning his side toward us,

And he turned away folding his sleeve

And his fragrance had sweetened the gathering place.

While the gathering was fragrant with his scent