قَصَرتُI checked يَدَthe hand of الشِتاءِwinter بِحَرِّwith the heat of جَمرٍembers
قَصَرتُ يَدَ الشِتاءِ بِحَرِّ جَمرٍ
وَأَختِand the sister of الجَمرِthe embers صافِيَةِclear الرَحيقِpure wine
وَأَختِ الجَمرِ صافِيَةِ الرَحيقِ
I checked winter’s hand with the heat of embers
The winter's hand was shortened by burning embers,
and the embers’ sister, a clear, pure wine.
And the sister of embers - the one of pure nectar.
تَرىyou see نَبذَflecks of الرَمادِthe ash بِوَجنَتَيهِon its two cheeks
تَرى نَبذَ الرَمادِ بِوَجنَتَيهِ
كَكافورٍlike camphor يُذَرُّis sprinkled عَلىupon خَلوقِsaffron perfume
كَكافورٍ يُذَرُّ عَلى خَلوقِ
You see flecks of ash upon its two cheeks,
You see it scattered the ashes with its cheeks,
like camphor sprinkled over saffron perfume.
Like camphor sprinkled on the beloved.
وَدارَand circulated الكَأسُthe cup فيin يَدِthe hand of ذيone possessed of دَلالٍcoquetry
وَدارَ الكَأسُ في يَدِ ذي دَلالٍ
رَشيقِgraceful القَدِّof figure يُعرَفُis known بِالرَشيقِas al-Rashiq (the Graceful)
رَشيقِ القَدِّ يُعرَفُ بِالرَشيقِ
And the cup went round in the hand of a coy charmer,
The cup went round in the hand of one graceful,
graceful of figure, known as al-Rashiq.
Slender in stature, known for his grace.
يُحَلّيhe adorns بِالتَبَسُّمِwith smiling دُرَّthe pearls of ثَغرٍa mouth
يُحَلّي بِالتَبَسُّمِ دُرَّ ثَغرٍ
تَخَلَّلَهُran through it شَوابيرُslivers العَقيقِof carnelian
تَخَلَّلَهُ شَوابيرُ العَقيقِ
With a smile he adorns his mouth’s pearls,
He adorns a smile with a pearl lip
interspersed with slivers of carnelian.
Pierced with rubies of carnelian.
رَأَيتُI saw الكَأسَthe cup فيin يَدِهِhis hand وَفيهِand his mouth
رَأَيتُ الكَأسَ في يَدِهِ وَفيهِ
وَجَنحُwhile the darkness اللَيلِof night مُنصَرِفُdeparting الفَريقِthe host
وَجَنحُ اللَيلِ مُنصَرِفُ الفَريقِ
I saw the cup in his hand and at his mouth,
I saw the cup in his hand, in it
while night’s dark host was withdrawing.
The wings of night turning away the company.
فَفيso in فَمِهِhis mouth هِلالٌa crescent فيin غُروبٍsetting
فَفي فَمِهِ هِلالٌ في غُروبٍ
وَفيand in يَدِهِhis hand الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades فيin شُروقِrising
وَفي يَدِهِ الثُرَيّا في شُروقِ
In his mouth, then, a crescent was setting,
So in his mouth a crescent in sunset
and in his hand the Pleiades were rising.
And in his hand the Pleiades in sunrise.
وَيَسقينيand he gives me drink وَيَشرُبُand drinks مِنof رَحيقٍpure wine
وَيَسقيني وَيَشرُبُ مِن رَحيقٍ
خَليقٍworthy أَنto يُشَبَّهَbe likened بِالخَلوقِto saffron perfume
خَليقٍ أَن يُشَبَّهَ بِالخَلوقِ
And he gives me drink and drinks of pure wine,
He gives me drink and sips from a nectar
worthy of being likened to saffron perfume.
Worthy to resemble the beloved.
كَأَنَّas though الكَأسَthe cup فيin يَدِهِhis hand وَفيهِand his mouth
كَأَنَّ الكَأسَ في يَدِهِ وَفيهِ
عَقيقٌcarnelian فيwithin عَقيقٍcarnelian فيwithin عَقيقِcarnelian
عَقيقٌ في عَقيقٍ في عَقيقِ
As though the cup, in his hand and at his mouth,
As if the cup in his hand, and in it
were carnelian within carnelian within carnelian.
Ruby in ruby in ruby.
Sol 6.1