أَتَتنَا العَذَارى الغِيدُ في حُلَلِ النُّهى

أَتَتنَا العَذَارى الغِيدُ في حُلَلِ النُّهى

تَنشُرُ عن عِلمٍ وتطوى على سِحرِ

تَنشُرُ عن عِلمٍ وتطوى على سِحرِ

The graceful virgins came to us in robes of reason,

The maidens came to us, robed in modesty's garb,

Unfolding to reveal knowledge, folded around magic.

Unfurling knowledge, and folding away sorcery,

تَلاعَبُ بالأذهانِ رَوعَةُ نَشرها

تَلاعَبُ بالأذهانِ رَوعَةُ نَشرها

وتشغلُ بالمرأى اللطيفِ عن السير

وتشغلُ بالمرأى اللطيفِ عن السير

The splendor of their unfolding toys with minds,

Charming minds with the awe of their unfurling,

And, with their delicate appearance, distracts one from journeying.

And distracting the gaze from proper conduct with their grace.

أَلَذُّ من البُشرَى أَتَت بعد غَيبَة

أَلَذُّ من البُشرَى أَتَت بعد غَيبَة

وأحسنُ من نُعمَى تُقَابَلُ بالشُّكرِ

وأحسنُ من نُعمَى تُقَابَلُ بالشُّكرِ

Sweeter than glad tidings that came after an absence,

Sweeter than good tidings that came after absence,

And lovelier than a blessing met with gratitude.

Fairer than a blessing met with gratitude,

فلم أر عقداً كان أبهى تألُّقا

فلم أر عقداً كان أبهى تألُّقا

وأَشبهَ نَظما مُتقَناً منه بالنَّثرِ

وأَشبهَ نَظما مُتقَناً منه بالنَّثرِ

For I have seen no necklace more radiant in its gleam,

Never did I see a string of pearls shine brighter,

Or, in its perfect stringing, closer to prose than this.

Or rhymes more akin to ornate prose.

ترى كلَّ بيتٍ مُستَقلاًّ بنفسه

ترى كلَّ بيتٍ مُستَقلاًّ بنفسه

تُبَاهِى معانيه بألفاظِه الغُرِّ

تُبَاهِى معانيه بألفاظِه الغُرِّ

You see each verse standing on its own;

You see each verse standing alone by itself,

Its meanings take pride in its radiant words.

Its meanings vying with its words in splendor.

تَحَلَّت بوصفِ الجسم ثم تَنَكَّرَت

تَحَلَّت بوصفِ الجسم ثم تَنَكَّرَت

ومالت مع الإعراضِ في حَيَّز تَجري

ومالت مع الإعراضِ في حَيَّز تَجري

They adorned themselves with bodily attributes, then assumed disguise,

Adorned at first with descriptions of the body, then masked,

And swayed as they turned away, coursing within a realm.

Inclining to coyness within bounds.

أَرنَّت سحابُ الفِكرِ فيها فأَبرَزَت

أَرنَّت سحابُ الفِكرِ فيها فأَبرَزَت

لآلئ نُورٍ في حَدَائِقها الزُّهرِ

لآلئ نُورٍ في حَدَائِقها الزُّهرِ

The clouds of thought thundered within them and brought forth

The clouds of thought poured down on them and brought forth

Pearls of light in their radiant gardens.

Pearls of light in the gardens of flowers.

فجاءت ومعناها مُمازجُ لفظها

فجاءت ومعناها مُمازجُ لفظها

كما امتزجت بنتُ الغَمَامةِ بالخَمرِ

كما امتزجت بنتُ الغَمَامةِ بالخَمرِ

So they came, their meaning mingled with their wording,

So they came with their meanings blending into their words,

Just as the cloud's daughter mingled with wine.

As lightning blends with clouds heavy with wine.

أشَدَّ إليه نسبَةً من حُرُوِفهِ

أشَدَّ إليه نسبَةً من حُرُوِفهِ

وأَحوَجَ من فعلٍ جَميلٍ إلى نشرِ

وأَحوَجَ من فعلٍ جَميلٍ إلى نشرِ

More closely related to it than its own letters,

Closer to it in lineage than its letters,

And more in need of being made known than a noble deed.

More in need of diffusion than a lovely deed.

نَظَمتُها عقداً كما نظم الحجَى

نَظَمتُها عقداً كما نظم الحجَى

وفاءَك في عِقدِ السماحةِ والفَخرِ

وفاءَك في عِقدِ السماحةِ والفَخرِ

I strung them as a necklace, just as reason strung

I strung them into a necklace, as pearls are strung,

Your loyalty in the necklace of generosity and glory.

In loyalty's necklace of pride and nobility.

كأَنَّكَ إذ مرَّت على فيك أفرغت

كأَنَّكَ إذ مرَّت على فيك أفرغت

ثناياك في ألفاظها بَهجةَ البشر

ثناياك في ألفاظها بَهجةَ البشر

As though, when they passed across your mouth, there poured

As if, when they passed before you, you poured

From your front teeth into their words the radiance of good cheer.

The joy of mortals into their words.

كَفَتنَا حُمَيَّا الخمرِ رِقةُ لفظِها

كَفَتنَا حُمَيَّا الخمرِ رِقةُ لفظِها

وأَمَّنَنَا تهذيبُها هَفوةِ السكرِ

وأَمَّنَنَا تهذيبُها هَفوةِ السكرِ

The delicacy of their wording spared us wine's heady heat,

The gentle words' delicate grace quenched our thirst,

And their refinement kept us safe from drunken lapses.

And their refinement allayed the headiness of drink.