What honours shall I do to the Dream which hath brought me a message from the beloved?

If only I could persuade my eyes to sleep, I would fly to my beloved in my dream, and tell him the story of how I manage yet to hold on to life.

If I am able to support life yet it is only because I see him in dreams who showeth not his face in waking hours.

Dream giveth me all the joys of love: for it bringeth back to me my beloved who refuseth to pity me in my waking state.

The joys of the dream last as long as the beloved appeareth in it: and what more can be said of the waking state?

Oh that there were no waking state! For then my dream would never be cut short and my beloved would never depart from me.

The cruel one who pitieth me not while I am awake, why doth he haunt me in my dreams?63

He embraceth me while I am asleep64 and rusheth into my heart as soon as I open my eyes.

They reproach my beloved for that he doth not meet me to their knowledge: but then they see him not in dreams.

These village folk say that he hath parted from me: is it that they see him not in dreams?