هَلْ لِصَبٍّ مِنْ لَمَاكَ الْمُزْدَرِي

هَلْ لِصَبٍّ مِنْ لَمَاكَ الْمُزْدَرِي

بِسُلاَفِ الرَّاحْ

بِسُلاَفِ الرَّاحْ

Can a lovesick lover have, from your dark lips that disdain

Is there any youth like a gazelle

Is there for an impassioned lover, from your dark lips that disdain

the choicest wine,

Whose breath is cooled in the morning breeze -

The finest of wines,

رَشَفَاتٌ مُزِجَتْ بِالسُّكَّرِ

رَشَفَاتٌ مُزِجَتْ بِالسُّكَّرِ

تَمْنَحُ الأَفْرَاحْ

تَمْنَحُ الأَفْرَاحْ

sips mingled with sugar

Whose lips are sweetened with sugar -

Sips blended with sugar

that bestow joy,

Who brings joy and cheer?

That bestow joy?

مَرْوِيَاتٌ عَنْ صِحَاحِ الْجَوْهَرِ

مَرْوِيَاتٌ عَنْ صِحَاحِ الْجَوْهَرِ

عَنْ مُنَى الأَرْوَاحْ

عَنْ مُنَى الأَرْوَاحْ

recounted on the authority of flawless jewels,

She tells of the sincerity of precious gems -

Transmitted from the flawless jewels,

of the souls’ desires,

Of the wishes of souls -

From the ultimate desire of souls,

عَنْ هِلاَلِ الْحُسْنِ عَنْ ظَبْيِ النَّقَا

عَنْ هِلاَلِ الْحُسْنِ عَنْ ظَبْيِ النَّقَا

عَنْ قَضِيبِ الْبَانْ

عَنْ قَضِيبِ الْبَانْ

of beauty’s crescent, of the gazelle of the sand dune,

Of the crescent moons of beauty -

From the crescent of beauty, from the gazelle of the dune,

of the ban-tree’s bough?

Of the erect branches.

From the slender willow branch,

مِنْ جِنَانِ الْوَصْلِ دُونِي أُغْلِقَا

مِنْ جِنَانِ الْوَصْلِ دُونِي أُغْلِقَا

رِقَّ يَارِضْوَانْ

رِقَّ يَارِضْوَانْ

From the gardens of union I have been shut out;

From the gardens of union I was barred -

From the gardens of union that are shut before me—

have pity, O Ridwan,

Have mercy, oh Most Merciful!

Have pity, O Ridwan!

وَارْثِ لِي مِنْ ذَا الْعَذَابِ الأَكْبَرِ

وَارْثِ لِي مِنْ ذَا الْعَذَابِ الأَكْبَرِ

فَعَسَى أَرْتَاحْ

فَعَسَى أَرْتَاحْ

and show me compassion in this greatest torment,

Save me from the greatest torment -

And show me mercy from this greatest torment,

so perhaps I may find rest.

Perhaps I will find rest.

That perhaps I may find rest.

فَعَلَى ذَاكَ الْمُحَيَّا الأَنْوَرِ

فَعَلَى ذَاكَ الْمُحَيَّا الأَنْوَرِ

ذِي السَّنَا الْوَضَّاحْ

ذِي السَّنَا الْوَضَّاحْ

So upon that most radiant face,

By that shining, radiant-faced one -

So upon that most luminous countenance,

with its dazzling light,

With clear and brilliant teeth -

Possessing such brilliant radiance,

مِنْ شَجٍ نَشْرُ سَلاَمٍ عَنْبَرِي

مِنْ شَجٍ نَشْرُ سَلاَمٍ عَنْبَرِي

مَا انْبَرَى الإِصْبَاحْ

مَا انْبَرَى الإِصْبَاحْ

may a grieving lover’s ambergris-scented greeting waft,

The fragrance of amber is diffused -

From an anguished lover, the spreading scent of an ambergris greeting,

as long as daybreak appears,

As the dawn breaks forth.

As long as the morning breaks forth,

وَثَنَتْ بَانَ الرُّبَى كَفُّ الصَّبَا

وَثَنَتْ بَانَ الرُّبَى كَفُّ الصَّبَا

وَشَدَا الْقُمْرِي

وَشَدَا الْقُمْرِي

and the east breeze’s hand bends the ban-trees of the hills,

The palm boughs move with the morning breeze

And the hand of the east wind bends the willow of the hills,

and the turtledove sings,

And the moon becomes full -

And the turtledove sings,

وَصَبَا قَلْبِي لأَِيَّامِ الصِّبَا

وَصَبَا قَلْبِي لأَِيَّامِ الصِّبَا

رَيِّقِ الْعُمْرِ

رَيِّقِ الْعُمْرِ

and my heart yearns for the days of youth,

And my heart flows for the days of youth -

And my heart yearns for the days of youth,

the prime of life.

The life of one still tender.

The pristine prime of life.