كَم لَيلة ناجيت مَن أَحببتهُ

كَم لَيلة ناجيت مَن أَحببتهُ

وَكنيت عَنهُ فَقُلت يا بَدر الدُجا

وَكنيت عَنهُ فَقُلت يا بَدر الدُجا

How many a night I spoke in secret with the one I loved!

How many nights have I confided in the one I loved

And alluded to him, saying, 'O full moon of night's darkness!'

And used a nickname for him, saying “O full moon!”

وَرَجوته وَصلاً فَقالَ مفنّدي

وَرَجوته وَصلاً فَقالَ مفنّدي

أفَترتجي مَن إِسمهُ ضدّ الرَجا

أفَترتجي مَن إِسمهُ ضدّ الرَجا

And I implored him for union; then my reprover said:

I hoped for our reunion but he refused me, saying

'Do you then hope for one whose name is the opposite of hope?'

“Would you hope for one whose very name belies hope?”