خَلِعتُ وَلَيسَ يَملِكُ رَدَّ راسي

خَلِعتُ وَلَيسَ يَملِكُ رَدَّ راسي

وَلا يُدني بِإِطماعٍ وَياسِ

وَلا يُدني بِإِطماعٍ وَياسِ

I have cast off restraint; he cannot turn my head back,

I have cast off all restraint, and none has power to turn my head,

nor draw me close with enticement and despair.

Nor can any draw me near with lure of hope or despair.

بُليتُ مِنَ الشَقاءِ بِسامِرِيٍّ

بُليتُ مِنَ الشَقاءِ بِسامِرِيٍّ

يُعامِلُني الغَداةَ بِلا مَساسِ

يُعامِلُني الغَداةَ بِلا مَساسِ

Ill fortune has afflicted me with a Samaritan,

I have been afflicted, to my misery, by a 'Samaritan',

who treats me this morning with “No touching!”

Who treats me each morning with 'Touch me not!'

يَرى حَرَجاً عَلَيهِ مَسَّ ثَوبي

يَرى حَرَجاً عَلَيهِ مَسَّ ثَوبي

وَأَن أُسقى وَإِيّاهُ بِكاسِ

وَأَن أُسقى وَإِيّاهُ بِكاسِ

He deems it sinful for him to touch my robe,

He deems it a sin upon him to even brush against my robe,

and for him and me to drink from one cup.

Or that he and I should be served wine from a single cup.

وَأَقسَمَ لا يُكَلِّمُني ثَلاثاً

وَأَقسَمَ لا يُكَلِّمُني ثَلاثاً

بِعِدَّتِهِنَّ إِلّا وَهوَ ناسِ

بِعِدَّتِهِنَّ إِلّا وَهوَ ناسِ

He swore not to speak to me for three days,

And he swore he would not speak to me for three days,

for their full span—unless he forgets.

Lasting their full count—unless he forgets.

فَمَن ذا يُبلِغُ الحَلّافَ عَنّي

فَمَن ذا يُبلِغُ الحَلّافَ عَنّي

يَقولُ لَهُ فِداكَ أَبو نُواسِ

يَقولُ لَهُ فِداكَ أَبو نُواسِ

Who, then, will carry word from me to that oath-swearer,

So who will convey to this oath-taker a message from me,

saying to him, “May Abu Nuwas be your ransom”?

Saying to him: 'May Abu Nuwas be your ransom!'