وطامعةٍ في الصَّحوِ من بَعدِ سُكرِها

وطامعةٍ في الصَّحوِ من بَعدِ سُكرِها

بَدَوتُ بكأسٍ آيَسَتها من الصَّحوِ

بَدَوتُ بكأسٍ آيَسَتها من الصَّحوِ

And a woman hoping for sobriety after her drunkenness—

Still craving sobriety after her drunkenness

I appeared with a cup that made her despair of sobriety.

I appeared with a cup she had despaired of sobriety

أشَرتُ بأخرَى نَحوَها فَرأيتُها

أشَرتُ بأخرَى نَحوَها فَرأيتُها

تُشيرُ بباقي تِلكَ من سُكرٍ نَحوي

تُشيرُ بباقي تِلكَ من سُكرٍ نَحوي

I gestured toward her with another cup, and saw her

I gestured with another towards her, and saw her

Gesturing drunkenly toward me with what remained of that cup.

Gesturing with what remained of that drunkenness towards me

حَوَت مِن فُؤادي مَوضِعاً فَحوَيتُها

حَوَت مِن فُؤادي مَوضِعاً فَحوَيتُها

فلِلَّهِ ما أصبَحتُ أحوي وما تَحوي

فلِلَّهِ ما أصبَحتُ أحوي وما تَحوي

She held a place in my heart, so I held her;

She took up residence in a place in my heart, so I contained her

How wondrous, by God, what I have come to hold, and what she holds!

By God, I neither contain nor am contained