ضنيت فَلَما جاءَني مَن أُحِبُّهُ

ضنيت فَلَما جاءَني مَن أُحِبُّهُ

أَزالَ الضَنى عَني وَسُرَّت بِهِ النَفسُ

أَزالَ الضَنى عَني وَسُرَّت بِهِ النَفسُ

I languished; then, when the one I love came to me,

I was sad, but when he whom I love came to me,

He dispelled my wasting sickness, and my soul rejoiced in him.

He removed the sadness from me and my soul rejoiced in him.

فَنادَمتُ مِنهُ البَدرَ يَبهَرُ نورُهُ

فَنادَمتُ مِنهُ البَدرَ يَبهَرُ نورُهُ

فَيا مَن رَأى بَدراً يُنادِمُهُ الأنسُ

فَيا مَن رَأى بَدراً يُنادِمُهُ الأنسُ

Then, in him, I had the full moon as my drinking companion, its light dazzling.

So I reproached the full moon - its light dazzles -

Ah, who has seen a full moon with conviviality as its drinking companion?

For, O you who sees a full moon reproached by intimacy!

تَمَتَّعتُ مِن أُنسٍ بِهِ اِثنينِ لَم نُرَع

تَمَتَّعتُ مِن أُنسٍ بِهِ اِثنينِ لَم نُرَع

فَلَما أَتانا ثالِثٌ ذهبَ الأنسُ

فَلَما أَتانا ثالِثٌ ذهبَ الأنسُ

I enjoyed intimacy with him, just the two of us, undisturbed.

I enjoyed an intimacy with him, two of us gathering closely,

Then, when a third came to us, intimacy departed.

But when a third came, intimacy left.

أشيرُ لَهُ بِاللَثمِ إِن كانَ غافِلاً

أشيرُ لَهُ بِاللَثمِ إِن كانَ غافِلاً

وَيَأنَفُ صَوناً أَن يَرى بَينَنا لَمسُ

وَيَأنَفُ صَوناً أَن يَرى بَينَنا لَمسُ

I gesture to him for a kiss if he is inattentive,

I gesture to him with my glances if he is neglectful,

Yet, out of modesty, he refuses to let any touch between us be seen.

And he disdains, protecting himself, that intimacy be seen between us.

أَدارَ عَلَيَّ الكَأسَ مَلأى صَبابَةً

أَدارَ عَلَيَّ الكَأسَ مَلأى صَبابَةً

فَها أَنا نَشوانٌ ولَم تَفرغ الكَأسُ

فَها أَنا نَشوانٌ ولَم تَفرغ الكَأسُ

He passed me the cup, brimming with ardent longing;

He passed me a cup full to the brim with wine,

So here I am intoxicated, and the cup is not yet empty.

So here I am tipsy, and the cup is not yet empty.

أَبا النَصرِ لا يَنفَكُّ حُبُّكَ ساكِناً

أَبا النَصرِ لا يَنفَكُّ حُبُّكَ ساكِناً

صَميمَ فُؤادِي أَو يَضمنِيَ الرمسُ

صَميمَ فُؤادِي أَو يَضمنِيَ الرمسُ

O Abu al-Nasr, love for you never ceases to dwell

O Abu al-Nasr, your love does not cease, residing

In the depths of my heart, until the grave enfolds me.

In the depths of my heart, unless the flint pierces me.

أَلا عَلِّلَن قَلباً بِأَيسرِ كَلمَةٍ

أَلا عَلِّلَن قَلباً بِأَيسرِ كَلمَةٍ

فَقَد شَفَّها وَجدٌ وَقَد غالَها اليَأسُ

فَقَد شَفَّها وَجدٌ وَقَد غالَها اليَأسُ

Ah, soothe a heart with the simplest word,

Oh, make reasons for a heart with the easiest of words,

For longing has worn it thin, and despair has laid it low.

For ardent love has healed it, and despair has worn it out.