لولا اشتياق الماء كفك لم يكن

لولا اشتياق الماء كفك لم يكن

قلب الندى وحشي السحائب تنزلُ

قلب الندى وحشي السحائب تنزلُ

Were it not for the water’s longing for your palm, there would be no

Were it not for water's longing for your palm, never would

descent of the heart of dew—bounty estranged from the clouds.

The heart of dew and the clouds' innards descend.

ولقد نثرت على الهوا أمثاله

ولقد نثرت على الهوا أمثاله

ذا سجسج صاف وهذا سلسل

ذا سجسج صاف وهذا سلسل

Indeed, your hand has scattered its likenesses through the air:

And indeed you have scattered its like through the air:

this one mild and clear, that one sweetly flowing.

This is mild and clear, and this is sweet-flowing.

وكأنما ذهبى زرافاتنا

وكأنما ذهبى زرافاتنا

ترمى بأسهم فضة تتسلسل

ترمى بأسهم فضة تتسلسل

It is as though our companies, all gold,

And it is as though our golden giraffes

were shooting streaming arrows of silver,

Are shot at with silver arrows streaming in succession.

من فوق كل ذؤابتبن سحابة

من فوق كل ذؤابتبن سحابة

أو بين كل اثنين منا جدول

أو بين كل اثنين منا جدول

with a cloud above every pair of tresses,

Above every pair of forelocks, a cloud,

or a rivulet between every two of us.

Or between every two of us, a stream.

فأرقت حتى ماء وجهي إنه

فأرقت حتى ماء وجهي إنه

مع غير ماء الورد لا يتبدل

مع غير ماء الورد لا يتبدل

You poured away even the water of my face—my honor—for it

So you have spilled even my face's water—my honor; indeed, it

is exchanged for nothing but rosewater.

Is exchanged for nothing but rosewater.

فاترك لنا ماء الشباب ولا ترق

فاترك لنا ماء الشباب ولا ترق

ماء الصوارم فهو فيها أجمل

ماء الصوارم فهو فيها أجمل

So leave us the bloom of youth, and do not spill

So leave us the water of youth, and do not spill

the swords’ bright water: it is lovelier upon them.

The water of keen-edged swords—their sheen—for it is lovelier in them.