يقول نديمي والمدامُ يديرها

يقول نديمي والمدامُ يديرها

هضيمُ الحشا ساجي الجفون سقيمها

هضيمُ الحشا ساجي الجفون سقيمها

My boon companion says, while the wine is passed around

My friend says, as the hostess walks around,

By one slender-waisted, with tranquil, languid eyelids,

The chewer of bitter colocynth, the sickly eyelids.

وشامَ سحابَ الندّ والدوح رائقُ

وشامَ سحابَ الندّ والدوح رائقُ

الحُلى وعقودُ النّورَ يجلى نظيمها

الحُلى وعقودُ النّورَ يجلى نظيمها

And he beheld clouds of incense, while the spreading trees were splendid

And drink the evening whose clouds and rain are pure,

In adornment, and the strung garlands of blossoms were revealed:

Adorned with jewels and necklaces of light.

أرى البدرَ يجلو الشمس في حلل الضّحى

أرى البدرَ يجلو الشمس في حلل الضّحى

وهذي سماءٌ طالعاتٌ نجومها

وهذي سماءٌ طالعاتٌ نجومها

"I see the full moon unveiling the sun in robes of morning light,

I see the moon outshining the sun in the garb of morn,

And this is a sky whose stars are rising."

This is a sky with rising stars.

وما شكَّ في أنَّ المصابيح شهبها

وما شكَّ في أنَّ المصابيح شهبها

وأنَّ دخانَ المندليِّ غيومها

وأنَّ دخانَ المندليِّ غيومها

And he did not doubt that the lamps were its shooting stars,

No doubt the lamps are its shooting stars,

And that the smoke of Mandali aloeswood was its clouds.

And the censer’s smoke its clouds.