أَلا أَفصَحَ الطَيرُ حَتّى خَطَب

أَلا أَفصَحَ الطَيرُ حَتّى خَطَب

وَخَفَّ لَهُ الغُصنُ حَتّى اِضطَرَب

وَخَفَّ لَهُ الغُصنُ حَتّى اِضطَرَب

Lo, the bird spoke so eloquently that it delivered an oration,

Lo, the birds grew eloquent, till they gave an oration;

and the bough fluttered for it until it trembled.

And the branch stirred lightly for them, till it swayed.

فَمِل طَرَباً بَينَ ظِلٍّ هَفا

فَمِل طَرَباً بَينَ ظِلٍّ هَفا

رَطيبٍ وَماءٍ هُناكَ اِنثَعَب

رَطيبٍ وَماءٍ هُناكَ اِنثَعَب

Then lean in delight between a shade that stirs,

So sway in rapture between a fluttering shade,

fresh and lush, and water gushing there.

Fresh, and water gushing forth there.

وَجُل في الحَديقَةِ أُختِ المُنى

وَجُل في الحَديقَةِ أُختِ المُنى

وَدِن بِالمُدامَةِ أُمِّ الطَرَب

وَدِن بِالمُدامَةِ أُمِّ الطَرَب

And ask, in the garden, for the sister of desire,

And roam the garden, sister of wishes,

and draw near with aged wine, the mother of rapture;

And profess faith in wine, mother of rapture.

وَحامِلَةٍ مِن بَناتِ القَنا

وَحامِلَةٍ مِن بَناتِ القَنا

أَماليدَ تَحمِلُ خُضرَ العَذَب

أَماليدَ تَحمِلُ خُضرَ العَذَب

and a laden bearer among the daughters of the lance-reed—

And one bearing daughters of spear-shafts—

slender maidens bearing green tassels.

Supple shoots that carry green tassels—

تَنوبُ مورِقَةً عَن عِذارٍ

تَنوبُ مورِقَةً عَن عِذارٍ

وَتَضحَكُ زاهِرَةً عَن شَنَب

وَتَضحَكُ زاهِرَةً عَن شَنَب

Leaf-clad, she stands in for a cheek’s down,

In leaf, they stand in for down on the cheek,

and, blooming, laughs to reveal fresh, gleaming teeth.

And laugh in blossom, revealing cool, gleaming teeth.

وَتَندى بِها في مَهَبِّ الصَبا

وَتَندى بِها في مَهَبِّ الصَبا

زَبَرجَدَةٌ أَثمَرَت بِالذَهَب

زَبَرجَدَةٌ أَثمَرَت بِالذَهَب

In the breath of the east wind, dew gathers upon her:

And there, in the east wind's path, grows dewy

an emerald that has borne golden fruit.

A chrysolite that has borne fruit of gold.

تَفاوَحُ أَنفاسُها تارَةً

تَفاوَحُ أَنفاسُها تارَةً

وَطَوراً تُغازِلُها مِن كَثَب

وَطَوراً تُغازِلُها مِن كَثَب

At times her breaths waft perfume,

Her breaths waft fragrance at times,

and at times you court her from close at hand;

And at others you woo her from close by;

فَتَبسِمُ في حالَةٍ عَن رِضاً

فَتَبسِمُ في حالَةٍ عَن رِضاً

وَتَنظُرُ آوِنَةً عَن غَضَب

وَتَنظُرُ آوِنَةً عَن غَضَب

then in one mood she smiles with delight,

Then, in one mood, she smiles with contentment,

and looks reproachfully in anger.

And at times she gazes in anger.