وَبِكرِ سُلافَةٍ في قَعرِ دَنٍّ

وَبِكرِ سُلافَةٍ في قَعرِ دَنٍّ

لَها دِرعانِ مِن قارٍ وَطينِ

لَها دِرعانِ مِن قارٍ وَطينِ

And virgin free-run wine in the depths of a jar,

In the deep valley at dawn's first light

And a virgin vintage lying deep within a cask,

with two coats of armor, of pitch and clay.

Two coats of resin and clay she wears

Protected by two coats of armor, pitch and clay.

تَحَكَّمَ عِلجُها إِذ قُلتُ سُمني

تَحَكَّمَ عِلجُها إِذ قُلتُ سُمني

عَلى غَيرِ البَخيلِ وَلا الضَنينِ

عَلى غَيرِ البَخيلِ وَلا الضَنينِ

Its foreign keeper set his terms when I said, “Name your price to me,

I tended to her wound when asked to treat

Its foreign keeper drove a hard bargain when I said, "Name your price,"

as to one neither miserly nor tightfisted.”

Neither miserly nor begrudging my cares

Dealing with one neither miserly nor stingy.

شَكَكتُ بُزالَها وَاللَيلُ داجٍ

شَكَكتُ بُزالَها وَاللَيلُ داجٍ

فَدَرَّت دِرَّةَ الوَدَجِ الطَعينِ

فَدَرَّت دِرَّةَ الوَدَجِ الطَعينِ

I pierced its bung while the night was dark,

I doubted her recovery in the dark night

I pierced its seal while the night was dark,

and it gushed like a stabbed jugular vein,

She shed a tear in the gloom so bright

And it gushed forth like the stream of a stabbed jugular.

بِكَفِّ أَغَنَّ مُختَضِبٍ بَناناً

بِكَفِّ أَغَنَّ مُختَضِبٍ بَناناً

مُذالِ الصَدغِ مَضفورِ القُرونِ

مُذالِ الصَدغِ مَضفورِ القُرونِ

by the hand of one with a nasal voice, his fingertips henna-dyed,

With a wave of his perfumed hand so slight

Served by the hand of a soft-voiced lad with henna-dyed fingertips,

his sidelock hanging long, his tresses braided.

The young man with the soft cheeks did alight

With dangling sidelocks and hair in braided plaits.

لَنا مِنهُ بِعَينَيهِ عِداتٌ

لَنا مِنهُ بِعَينَيهِ عِداتٌ

يُخاطِبُنا بِها كَسرُ الجُفونِ

يُخاطِبُنا بِها كَسرُ الجُفونِ

In his eyes are promises from him to us;

His eyes afford us untold pleasures

In his eyes, we find promises intended for us,

the droop of his eyelids speaks them to us.

Though languid and demure are their measures

Addressed to us by the languid folding of his lids.

كَأَنَّ الشَمسَ مُقبِلَةٌ عَلَينا

كَأَنَّ الشَمسَ مُقبِلَةٌ عَلَينا

تَمَشّى في قَلائِدِ ياسَمينِ

تَمَشّى في قَلائِدِ ياسَمينِ

As though the sun were coming toward us,

As though the sun walked amidst garlands of jasmine

It is as if the sun itself were advancing toward us,

strolling in garlands of jasmine.

Approaching us with a gait so feminine

Walking amidst necklaces of jasmine.

أَقولُ لِناقَتي إِذ بَلَغَتني

أَقولُ لِناقَتي إِذ بَلَغَتني

لَقَد أَصبَحتِ عِندي بِاليَمينِ

لَقَد أَصبَحتِ عِندي بِاليَمينِ

I say to my she-camel when she has brought me here:

To my she-camel I then whispered at dawn

I say to my she-camel, now that she has delivered me:

“Indeed, you now have my sworn protection:

You have gained standing highly favored this morn

"You have secured with me a solemn pledge of safety.

فَلَم أَجعَلكِ لِلقُربانِ نَحراً

فَلَم أَجعَلكِ لِلقُربانِ نَحراً

وَلا قُلتُ اِشرَقي بِدَمِ الوَتينِ

وَلا قُلتُ اِشرَقي بِدَمِ الوَتينِ

so I have not made you a victim for sacrifice,

Not for ritual sacrifice made I you bleed

I have not made you a slaughtered offering for sacrifice,

nor said, ‘Choke on the blood of your aorta.’

Nor bid you shine with blood of the vain steed

Nor said, 'Choke on the blood of your heart\'s vein.'

حَرُمتِ عَلى الأَزِمَّةِ وَالوَلايا

حَرُمتِ عَلى الأَزِمَّةِ وَالوَلايا

وَأَعلاقِ الرِحالَةِ وَالوَضينِ

وَأَعلاقِ الرِحالَةِ وَالوَضينِ

You are exempt from reins and saddlecloths,

I spared you the burden of far desert sands

You are forbidden henceforth to reins and saddle-pads,

and the saddle’s trappings and the woven girth.”

And waterless wastes of the wandering bands

And to the trappings of the mount and the girth."