لِلْقُضْبِfor the boughs بِالزَّهْرِwith the blossoms أَجْيَابٌbosoms وَأَجْيَادُand necks
لِلْقُضْبِ بِالزَّهْرِ أَجْيَابٌ وَأَجْيَادُ
تَدْنُوthey draw near إِلَيْكَto you وتَنْأَىand they withdraw حِينَwhen تَنْآدُthey sway
تَدْنُو إِلَيْكَ وتَنْأَى حِينَ تَنْآدُ
The flowering boughs have bosoms and necks;
They draw near you and withdraw as they sway.
وَلِلْحَبَابِand for the bubbles علىupon سُقْمَىsickly جَدَاوِلِهَاtheir streams
وَلِلْحَبَابِ على سُقْمَى جَدَاوِلِهَا
لسَّيْفِfor the sword والعِقْدِand the necklace نَضَّاءٌan unsheather وَنَضَّادُand an arranger
لسَّيْفِ والعِقْدِ نَضَّاءٌ وَنَضَّادُ
And the bubbles upon their frail streams
Unsheathe a sword and string a necklace.
وَلِلنَّسِمِand for the breezes عَلىacross الأَفَاقِthe horizons زَمْزَمَةٌa murmur
وَلِلنَّسِمِ عَلى الأَفَاقِ زَمْزَمَةٌ
وَلِلحَمَائِمِand for the doves بِالأَعْوَادِamong the boughs أَعْوَادُlutes
وَلِلحَمَائِمِ بِالأَعْوَادِ أَعْوَادُ
And the breezes murmur across the horizons,
And the doves have lutes among the boughs.
فَهَاتِso bring كأْسَكَyour cup أَوْor لُطْفاًa kindness يَقُومُstands لَنَاfor us
فَهَاتِ كأْسَكَ أَوْ لُطْفاً يَقُومُ لَنَا
مَقَامَin the place of كَأْسِكَyour cup يَبْقَىit remains حِينَwhen تَنْقَادُyou yield
مَقَامَ كَأْسِكَ يَبْقَى حِينَ تَنْقَادُ
So bring your cup, or a kindness that for us
Takes your cup's place and lasts when you yield.
فَمَاfor ... not المُدَامَةُwine أَحْلىsweeter مِنْthan حَدِيثِكَyour speech إِذْwhen
فَمَا المُدَامَةُ أَحْلى مِنْ حَدِيثِكَ إِذْ
يَجْلوُهُmakes it shine لِلسَّمْعِfor the ear إِنْشِاءٌcomposition وَإِنْشَادُand recitation
يَجْلوُهُ لِلسَّمْعِ إِنْشِاءٌ وَإِنْشَادُ
For wine is no sweeter than your speech, when
Composition and recitation make it shine for the ear.
أَوْor خُذْtake حَدِيثَthe tale of غَرَامِيmy passion فَاتْخِذْthen make سَمَراًevening conversation
أَوْ خُذْ حَدِيثَ غَرَامِي فَاتْخِذْ سَمَراً
فَفِيهِfor in it لِلسَّمْعِfor the ear إِسْعَافٌrelief وَإِسْعَادُand delight
فَفِيهِ لِلسَّمْعِ إِسْعَافٌ وَإِسْعَادُ
Or take the tale of my passion and make it your evening talk;
For it brings the ear relief and delight.
بِيwithin me شَادِنٌa young gazelle لِغَرَامِيfor my passion شَائِداًbuilding up أَبَداًforever
بِي شَادِنٌ لِغَرَامِي شَائِداً أَبَداً
وَلِلتَّصَبُّرِand for patient endurance نَفَّاءٌa banisher وَنَفَّادُand an exhauster
وَلِلتَّصَبُّرِ نَفَّاءٌ وَنَفَّادُ
I am smitten with a young gazelle who forever builds my passion,
And banishes and exhausts my efforts at patience.
كَمْhow many فِيin غَرَامِيmy passion بِهِfor him وَاشٍa male tale-bearer وَوَاشِيَةٌand a female tale-bearer
كَمْ فِي غَرَامِي بِهِ وَاشٍ وَوَاشِيَةٌ
وَكَمْand how many مَعْalongside الدَّهْرِTime حَسَّابٌa reckoner وَحَسَّادُand an envier
وَكَمْ مَعْ الدَّهْرِ حَسَّابٌ وَحَسَّادُ
How many tale-bearers, men and women, in my love for him!
And how many reckoners and enviers alongside Time!
وكَمْand how many عَليَّagainst me إِذَاwhen مَاemphatic particle غِبْتُI am absent عَنْهُfrom him وَكَمْand how many
وكَمْ عَليَّ إِذَا مَا غِبْتُ عَنْهُ وَكَمْ
فِيat حِينَthe time أَحْضِرُI am present نَقَّالٌa tale-carrier وَنَقَّادُand a critic
فِي حِينَ أَحْضِرُ نَقَّالٌ وَنَقَّادُ
And how many against me when I am absent from him, and how many,
When I am present—tale-carriers and critics!
Sol 6.1