وَمَقرورٍ مَزَجتُ لَهُ شَمولا

وَمَقرورٍ مَزَجتُ لَهُ شَمولا

بِماءٍ وَالدُجى صَعبُ الجِنابِ

بِماءٍ وَالدُجى صَعبُ الجِنابِ

And for a shivering man I mixed wine

I mixed for him a drink with water

For a shivering companion I mixed a vintage wine, tempered with water while the darkness was formidable.

with water, while the darkness was forbidding.

In the dark of night when sleep is hard.

And when I raised my hand, the lightning of its brilliance flashed after the swirling.

فَلَمّا أَن رَفَعتُ يَدي فَلاحَت

فَلَمّا أَن رَفَعتُ يَدي فَلاحَت

بَوارِقُ نورِها بَعدَ اِضطِرابِ

بَوارِقُ نورِها بَعدَ اِضطِرابِ

Then, when I raised my hand, there appeared

When I raised my hand it shone bright,

He recoiled, then stretched out his hands seeking a shield, as it flared up like a blaze.

flashes of its light after it had rippled.

Its radiance piercing the gloom.

He saw a crimson glow upon his fingertips, though it held no scorching heat of fire.

تَزاحَفَ ثُمَّ مَدَّ يَدَيهِ يَرجو

تَزاحَفَ ثُمَّ مَدَّ يَدَيهِ يَرجو

وِقاءً حينَ جارَت بِاِلتِهابِ

وِقاءً حينَ جارَت بِاِلتِهابِ

He crept forward, then stretched out both hands, hoping for

He tossed and turned, reaching out

So I said to him, "Easy now; this is but the radiance of the wine glowing from beneath the veil."

protection when it assailed him with flame.

Seeking relief from fever’s grip.

"Pour it smooth and you shall find delight, for the night keeps its secrets hidden."

فَأَبصَرَ في أَنامِلِهِ اِحمِراراً

فَأَبصَرَ في أَنامِلِهِ اِحمِراراً

وَلَيسَ لَهُ لَظى حَرِّ الشِهابِ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ لَظى حَرِّ الشِهابِ

Then he saw redness in his fingertips,

On his fingers he saw a redness

He gazed repeatedly to see it clearly, yet his eyes grew weary before piercing the veil.

yet it had none of a flame's blazing heat.

With no trace of ember’s burning heat.

And I recall a thief of hearts with the glance of a fawn, and the neck of a wild oryx from the hills.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ رُوَيدِكَ إِنَّ هَذا

فَقُلتُ لَهُ رُوَيدِكَ إِنَّ هَذا

سَنا الصَهباءِ مِن تَحتِ النِقابِ

سَنا الصَهباءِ مِن تَحتِ النِقابِ

So I said to him, “Take your time; this is

I said, be still, this is nothing but

When his charms are put to the test, they reveal the marvels of his beauty from every aspect.

the tawny wine's radiance from beneath its veil.

The glow of pearl behind her veil.

Eyes fall short before him and lower their gaze, necks bowed in humble submission.

فَسَلسِلها فَسَوفَ تَرى سُروراً

فَسَلسِلها فَسَوفَ تَرى سُروراً

فَإِنَّ اللَيلَ مَستورُ الجَنابِ

فَإِنَّ اللَيلَ مَستورُ الجَنابِ

So drink it down; you will find delight,

Unchain it and you will find joy

He bears a title befitting those who speak it, a wondrous name that stands clear in the script.

for night is shrouded on every side.”

For night conceals a maiden's limbs.

They call him "The Consoler," and to me he is truly as they say—a verdict entirely just.

فَرَدَّدَ طَرفَهُ كَيما يَراها

فَرَدَّدَ طَرفَهُ كَيما يَراها

فَكَلَّ الطَرفُ مِن دونِ الحِجابِ

فَكَلَّ الطَرفُ مِن دونِ الحِجابِ

He kept turning his gaze to see it,

He glanced back hoping for a look

He consoles us with pure wine and a face like the full moon breaking through the clouds.

but his gaze grew weary before the veil.

But sight fell short of her hijab.

وَمُختَلِسِ القُلوبِ بِطَرفِ ريمٍ

وَمُختَلِسِ القُلوبِ بِطَرفِ ريمٍ

وَجيدِ مَهاةِ بَرٍّ ذي هِضابِ

وَجيدِ مَهاةِ بَرٍّ ذي هِضابِ

And a stealer of hearts, with a gazelle's gaze

With the sly glance of a fawn’s eye

and the neck of an oryx from a hilly wilderness—

And smooth cheek of a hill’s plateau

إِذا اِمتُحِنَت مَحاسِنُهُ فَأَبدَت

إِذا اِمتُحِنَت مَحاسِنُهُ فَأَبدَت

غَرائِبَ حُسنِهِ مِن كُلِّ بابِ

غَرائِبَ حُسنِهِ مِن كُلِّ بابِ

when his charms are examined, they reveal

When tested, her beauty displayed

the wonders of his beauty in every aspect.

Strange wonders from every angle.

تَقاصَرَتِ العُيونُ لَهُ وَأَغفَت

تَقاصَرَتِ العُيونُ لَهُ وَأَغفَت

عَنِ اللَحَظاتِ خاضِعَةِ الرِقابِ

عَنِ اللَحَظاتِ خاضِعَةِ الرِقابِ

Eyes fall short before him and close in slumber,

Eyes lowered before him, humbled,

abandoning their glances, with necks bowed.

Bowing necks to his stately height.

لَهُ لَقَبٌ يَليقُ بِناطِقيهِ

لَهُ لَقَبٌ يَليقُ بِناطِقيهِ

بَديعٌ لَيسَ يُعجَمُ في الكِتابِ

بَديعٌ لَيسَ يُعجَمُ في الكِتابِ

He has a nickname befitting those who utter it,

He has a name befitting speech

a wondrous one, undotted in writing.

Wondrous, untouched by scribal pen.

يُقالُ لَهُ المُعَلَّلُ وَهوَ عِندي

يُقالُ لَهُ المُعَلَّلُ وَهوَ عِندي

كَما قالوا وَذاكَ مِنَ الصَوابِ

كَما قالوا وَذاكَ مِنَ الصَوابِ

They call him al-Muʿallal, and in my view

He is called, they say, “The Reasoner,”

he is as they say—and that is right.

And that to me seems accurate.

يُعَلِّلُنا بِصافِيَةٍ وَوَجهٍ

يُعَلِّلُنا بِصافِيَةٍ وَوَجهٍ

كَبَدرٍ لاحَ مِن خَلَلِ السَحابِ

كَبَدرٍ لاحَ مِن خَلَلِ السَحابِ

He cheers us with clear wine and a face

With pure mind and luminous face

like a full moon shining through gaps in the clouds.

He shone through the clouds like full moon.