لَمّاwhen تَبَدّىappeared وَجهُهُhis face
لَمّا تَبَدّى وَجهُهُ
كَالبَدرِlike the full moon مِنthrough خَلَلِgaps in الغَمامِthe clouds
كَالبَدرِ مِن خَلَلِ الغَمامِ
When his face appeared
like the full moon through gaps in the clouds,
وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were ضَوءُthe light of الصَباmorning (continued next line)
وَكَأَنَّهُ ضَوءُ الصَبا
حِcompletes 'morning' يَميسُsways gracefully فيin خِلَعِrobes of honor الظَلامِdarkness
حِ يَميسُ في خِلَعِ الظَلامِ
and as though it were the light of morning,
swaying in the robes of darkness,
آثَرتُI preferred طاعَةَobedience to حُبِّهِlove for him
آثَرتُ طاعَةَ حُبِّهِ
وَاِختَرتُand I chose مَعصِيَةَdisobedience to المُدامِwine
وَاِختَرتُ مَعصِيَةَ المُدامِ
I preferred to obey my love for him
and chose to defy wine.
لاnot أَستَفيدُI gain مِنَfrom المُداwine (continued next line)
لا أَستَفيدُ مِنَ المُدا
مِcompletes 'wine' سِوىexcept مُنادَمَةِkeeping company with الكِرامِnoble men
مِ سِوى مُنادَمَةِ الكِرامِ
I gain nothing from wine
but the companionship of noble men.
فَإِذاso when حَنَنتُI yearned إِلىfor النُداdrinking companions (continued next line)
فَإِذا حَنَنتُ إِلى النُدا
مِcompletes 'drinking companions' فَقَدthen indeed حَنَنتُI yearned إِلىfor المُدامِwine
مِ فَقَد حَنَنتُ إِلى المُدامِ
So when I yearn for drinking companions,
then I have indeed yearned for wine.
خُلُقُthe character of النَديمِthe drinking companion إِذاwhen صَفاis pure
خُلُقُ النَديمِ إِذا صَفا
أَغناكَspares you the need عَنfor صَفوِthe pure portion of المُدامِwine
أَغناكَ عَن صَفوِ المُدامِ
A drinking companion's character, when pure,
spares you the need for pure wine.
Sol 6.1