إذاwhen شمَمتُI smelled الغداةَat dawn أفواهاmouths
إذا شمَمتُ الغداةَ أفواها
منof العذارىmaidens نشَقتُI inhaled أفواهاfragrances
من العذارى نشَقتُ أفواها
When at dawn I smell the mouths
When at dawn I inhale their breath
Of maidens, I breathe in fragrances.
I tear open the maidens' mouths
وإنand if رَشفتُI sipped الرِّضابَthe saliva أسكرَنيit intoxicated me
وإن رَشفتُ الرِّضابَ أسكرَني
كأنas though خمراًwine دَبّتspread حميَّاهاits intoxicating heat
كأن خمراً دَبّت حميَّاها
And if I sip their saliva, it intoxicates me,
And if I sip the wine it intoxicates me
As though wine's intoxicating heat had spread through me.
As if its fervor has crept into my mind
كمmany a ناهدٍbudding-breasted maiden كالملاكِlike an angel روَّعهاfrightened her
كم ناهدٍ كالملاكِ روَّعها
بأسيmy might فقالتso she said أستغفِرُI seek forgiveness اللهGod
بأسي فقالت أستغفِرُ الله
Many an angel-like, budding-breasted maiden was frightened
How many fair ones like angels I startled
By my might, and said, 'I seek God's forgiveness.'
Who said "I seek refuge in Allah"
لكنّهاbut she عنfrom فؤادهاher heart كشَفَتshe uncovered
لكنّها عن فؤادها كشَفَت
إذwhen بيَدَيهاwith both her hands غطّتshe covered محيّاهاher face
إذ بيَدَيها غطّت محيّاها
But she laid her heart bare,
But from their hearts they revealed
When she covered her face with both her hands.
As their mouths they covered with their hands
وبعدَand after ذلّيmy abasement ودلِّهاand her coyness زمناًfor a time
وبعدَ ذلّي ودلِّها زمناً
قبَّلتI kissed فاهاher mouth فاحمرَّand reddened خدّاهاboth her cheeks
قبَّلت فاها فاحمرَّ خدّاها
And after a spell of my abasement and her coyness,
And after teasing and flirting for a while
I kissed her mouth, and both her cheeks reddened.
I kissed her mouth and her cheek reddened
وبتُّand I spent the night أرنوI gaze شوقاًlongingly ومنand out of خجلٍshyness
وبتُّ أرنو شوقاً ومن خجلٍ
تخشعُgrow humble عندَat التَّسليمِsurrender عيناهاher two eyes
تخشعُ عندَ التَّسليمِ عيناها
And I spent the night gazing longingly, while, out of shyness,
And I yearned and was shy
Her eyes lowered as she yielded.
Her eyes lowered in submission
ماhow كانwas أشهىdelicious فيduring اللَّثمِkissing زفرتهاher sigh
ما كان أشهى في اللَّثمِ زفرتها
وعندand during ضمِّيmy embrace صيحتُهاher cry واهاAh!
وعند ضمِّي صيحتُها واها
How delicious was her sigh amid kisses,
Nothing was more delicious in the kiss
And, in my embrace, her cry of 'Ah!'
Than her moan when I pulled her close
فيin ألمِthe pain of الحبّlove لذةٌa pleasure خلبتbewitched
في ألمِ الحبّ لذةٌ خلبت
قلبيmy heart وتحتَand beneath السيوفِthe swords أحلاهاits sweetest
قلبي وتحتَ السيوفِ أحلاها
In love's pain is a pleasure that bewitched
In the pain of love is pleasure that captivated
My heart—and beneath the swords lies its sweetest form.
My heart, and under the swords is its comfort
Sol 6.1