لِلْقُضْبِfor the boughs بِالزَّهْرِwith blossoms أَجْيَابٌbosoms وَأَجْيَادُand necks
لِلْقُضْبِ بِالزَّهْرِ أَجْيَابٌ وَأَجْيَادُ
تَدْنُوthey draw near إِلَيْكَto you وتَنْأَىand draw away حِينَwhen تَنْآدُthey sway
تَدْنُو إِلَيْكَ وتَنْأَى حِينَ تَنْآدُ
The blossom-clad boughs have bosoms and necks;
they draw near you and retreat as they sway.
وَلِلْحَبَابِand for the bubbles علىupon سُقْمَىthe frail ones of جَدَاوِلِهَاits streams
وَلِلْحَبَابِ على سُقْمَى جَدَاوِلِهَا
لسَّيْفِfor the sword والعِقْدِand the necklace نَضَّاءٌan unsheather وَنَضَّادُand a stringer
لسَّيْفِ والعِقْدِ نَضَّاءٌ وَنَضَّادُ
And the bubbles upon its frail streams
unsheathe swords and string necklaces.
وَلِلنَّسِمِand for the breezes عَلىacross الأَفَاقِthe horizons زَمْزَمَةٌa murmur
وَلِلنَّسِمِ عَلى الأَفَاقِ زَمْزَمَةٌ
وَلِلحَمَائِمِand for the doves بِالأَعْوَادِupon the boughs أَعْوَادُlutes
وَلِلحَمَائِمِ بِالأَعْوَادِ أَعْوَادُ
And the breezes murmur across the horizons;
and the doves upon the boughs have lutes.
فَهَاتِso bring كأْسَكَyour cup أَوْor لُطْفاًkindness يَقُومُstands لَنَاfor us
فَهَاتِ كأْسَكَ أَوْ لُطْفاً يَقُومُ لَنَا
مَقَامَin the place of كَأْسِكَyour cup يَبْقَىit endures حِينَwhen تَنْقَادُyou yield
مَقَامَ كَأْسِكَ يَبْقَى حِينَ تَنْقَادُ
So bring your cup, or kindness that, for us,
takes your cup’s place and endures when you yield.
فَمَاfor … is not المُدَامَةُwine أَحْلىsweeter مِنْthan حَدِيثِكَyour conversation 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 conversation, when
composition and recitation make it shine for the ear.
أَوْor خُذْtake حَدِيثَthe tale of غَرَامِيmy passion فَاتْخِذْthen make it سَمَراًevening talk
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 evening talk;
for it brings the ear relief and delight.
بِيafflicting 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
A young gazelle has smitten me, forever building up my passion,
and banishing and exhausting my patience.
كَمْhow many فِيin غَرَامِيmy passion بِهِfor him وَاشٍa male talebearer وَوَاشِيَةٌand a female talebearer
كَمْ فِي غَرَامِي بِهِ وَاشٍ وَوَاشِيَةٌ
وَكَمْand how many مَعْalongside الدَّهْرِTime حَسَّابٌa reckoner وَحَسَّادُand an envier
وَكَمْ مَعْ الدَّهْرِ حَسَّابٌ وَحَسَّادُ
How many talebearers, men and women, surround my love for him!
And how many reckoners and enviers there are, alongside Time!
وكَمْand how many عَليَّagainst me إِذَاwhen مَاan emphatic particle غِبْتُI am absent عَنْهُfrom him وَكَمْand how many
وكَمْ عَليَّ إِذَا مَا غِبْتُ عَنْهُ وَكَمْ
فِيat حِينَthe time أَحْضِرُI am present نَقَّالٌa talebearer وَنَقَّادُand a fault-finder
فِي حِينَ أَحْضِرُ نَقَّالٌ وَنَقَّادُ
And how many are against me when I am absent from him—and how many,
when I am present—talebearers and fault-finders!
Sol 6.1