بينما نحنُ في حديثِ الخِلاعا

بينما نحنُ في حديثِ الخِلاعا

تِ وماذا يَطيبُ أنْ نَتَمَّنى

تِ وماذا يَطيبُ أنْ نَتَمَّنى

While we were discussing wanton pleasures,

While we were talking of wanton pleasures

—and what it would delight us to wish for,

and what it would be sweet to wish for,

وإِذا بالمنى تراءَت لدينا

وإِذا بالمنى تراءَت لدينا

طُرُقاً شُعِّبَتْ فُرادى وَمْثَنى

طُرُقاً شُعِّبَتْ فُرادى وَمْثَنى

suddenly our wishes appeared before us

suddenly wishes appeared before us

as paths branching off, singly and in pairs.

as paths branching singly and in pairs.

قلتُ إِيهٍ لبعضِ من راضَه الحب

قلتُ إِيهٍ لبعضِ من راضَه الحب

بُ واصغَيْتُ قالَ خُذْ يا مُعَنّى

بُ واصغَيْتُ قالَ خُذْ يا مُعَنّى

I said, “Go on!” to one whom love had schooled,

I said, 'Go on,' to one of those whom love had schooled,

and leaned close to listen. He said, “Take this, you whom love torments:

and listened. He said, 'Take, O tormented one,

ما ترى في القِيان قلتُ ثمانٍ

ما ترى في القِيان قلتُ ثمانٍ

قد تناسَبْنَ فَرْطَ حُسنٍ ومعنى

قد تناسَبْنَ فَرْطَ حُسنٍ ومعنى

What think you of singing-girls?” I said, “Eight,

what you fancy among the singing slave-girls.' I said, 'Eight,

all well matched in surpassing beauty and charm:

matched in surpassing beauty and inner charm:

أربعٌ للحجاز سُمْرٌ دِقاقٌ

أربعٌ للحجاز سُمْرٌ دِقاقٌ

ومن الفُرسِ أربعٌ طِبْنَ حُسْنَا

ومن الفُرسِ أربعٌ طِبْنَ حُسْنَا

four Hijazi women, dusky and slender,

four of the Hijaz, brown-skinned and slender,

and four Persian women, exquisitely beautiful.”

and four Persian women, delightful in their beauty.'