وَسَّدني كفَّهُ وعانقني

وَسَّدني كفَّهُ وعانقني

ونحن في سَكْرَةٍ من الوَسَنِ

ونحن في سَكْرَةٍ من الوَسَنِ

He pillowed my head on his palm and embraced me,

He cupped his hand over my mouth and embraced me

while we were in a stupor of drowsiness.

While we were intoxicated with passion

وبات عندي إلى الصّباح وما

وبات عندي إلى الصّباح وما

شاع اِلتقاءٌ لنا ولم يَبِنِ

شاع اِلتقاءٌ لنا ولم يَبِنِ

And he stayed with me until morning, and no

And he stayed with me until morning without

word of our meeting spread, nor did it come to light.

Our meeting becoming known or evident

خادعني ثمّ عَدّ خُدْعَتَه

خادعني ثمّ عَدّ خُدْعَتَه

لمُقْلَتِي منَّةً من المِنَنِ

لمُقْلَتِي منَّةً من المِنَنِ

He deceived me, then counted his deception

He deceived me then counted his deception

a favor to my eye, one of many favors.

As a favor to my love from his blessings

فليت ذاك اللّقاءَ ما زال أوْ

فليت ذاك اللّقاءَ ما زال أوْ

ليتَ خيالاً في النّومِ لم يَكُنِ

ليتَ خيالاً في النّومِ لم يَكُنِ

If only that meeting had never ended—or

If only that meeting had not ended or

if only there had been no phantom in sleep.

Had been but a dream that never was

وزارني زَوْرَةً بلا عِدَةٍ

وزارني زَوْرَةً بلا عِدَةٍ

وما أتى وقتُها ولم يَحِنِ

وما أتى وقتُها ولم يَحِنِ

And he paid me a visit without a promise,

He visited me falsely without appointing

and its time had not come, nor was it due.

A time, and its time never came

فإِنْ تكنْ زَوْرَةً موهّمةً

فإِنْ تكنْ زَوْرَةً موهّمةً

فقد أَمِنّا فيها الظِّنَنِ

فقد أَمِنّا فيها الظِّنَنِ

So if it is an illusory visit,

So if it was an imaginary visit

then in it we have been safe from suspicion.

We found safety in it from suspicions

وإنْ تكن باطلاً فكم باطلٍ

وإنْ تكن باطلاً فكم باطلٍ

عاش به ميّتٌ من الحَزَنِ

عاش به ميّتٌ من الحَزَنِ

And if it is false, how many a falsehood

And if it was false, how much falsehood

has kept one dead from grief alive!

Has a dead man lived by in sorrow