بِأَبي من زارَني مُكتَتِماً

بِأَبي من زارَني مُكتَتِماً

خائِفاً من كُلِّ شَيءٍ جَزِعا

خائِفاً من كُلِّ شَيءٍ جَزِعا

May my father be ransom for the one who visited me in secret,

By the one who visited me hiding,

Fearful of everything, full of alarm.

Fearing everything, anxious,

زائِرٌ نَمَّ عَلَيهِ حُسنُهُ

زائِرٌ نَمَّ عَلَيهِ حُسنُهُ

كَيفَ يُخفي اللَيلُ بَدراً طَلعا

كَيفَ يُخفي اللَيلُ بَدراً طَلعا

A visitor whose beauty gave him away—

A visitor whose beauty slept upon him,

How can night conceal a full moon that has risen?

How can the night conceal a rising moon?

راقَبَ الغَفلَةَ حَتّى أَمكَنَت

راقَبَ الغَفلَةَ حَتّى أَمكَنَت

وَرَعى السامِرَ حَتّى هَجَعا

وَرَعى السامِرَ حَتّى هَجَعا

He watched for an unguarded moment until the chance came,

He watched for negligence until it enabled him,

And watched the evening company until they slept.

And herded the sleepless one until she slept,

رَكبَ الأَهوالَ في زَورَتِهِ

رَكبَ الأَهوالَ في زَورَتِهِ

ثُمَّ ما سَلَّم حَتّى وَدَّع

ثُمَّ ما سَلَّم حَتّى وَدَّع

He braved terrors on his visit,

He rode dangers in his visit,

Then, no sooner had he offered greetings than he bade farewell.

Then did not leave until he bade farewell.