يا روضةَ الحُسْن إنْ ضَنِّ السَّحَابُ بما

يا روضةَ الحُسْن إنْ ضَنِّ السَّحَابُ بما

يرويكِ أغناكِ عنه دمعِيَ الهَطِلُ

يرويكِ أغناكِ عنه دمعِيَ الهَطِلُ

O garden of beauty, if the clouds withhold what

O garden of beauty, if the clouds are stingy

would water you, my pouring tears will spare you need of them.

In watering you, my pouring tears will suffice.

حيَّا ثراكِ حَياً من عبرتي حَدِبُ

حيَّا ثراكِ حَياً من عبرتي حَدِبُ

ولا عَداكِ صباً من زفرتي غزِلُ

ولا عَداكِ صباً من زفرتي غزِلُ

May a tender rain from my tears greet your soil,

My tears have watered your soil as long as they flowed,

and may an amorous east breeze from my sigh never pass you by.

And none but you was sprinkled by my sighs.

وصبَّحتكِ من الأرآمِ جازيةٌ

وصبَّحتكِ من الأرآمِ جازيةٌ

ترعى رُباكِ وترعَى حسنَها المقلُ

ترعى رُباكِ وترعَى حسنَها المقلُ

And may a doe from among the white gazelles greet you at dawn,

The gazelles grazing your plants in the morning

grazing your hills, while eyes feast upon her beauty.

Are loyal visitors tending your beauty.

ويا نسيماً عليلاً زارني سَحَراً

ويا نسيماً عليلاً زارني سَحَراً

هيَّجتَ ما بيَ لا اهتاجتْ بك العِلَلُ

هيَّجتَ ما بيَ لا اهتاجتْ بك العِلَلُ

And O languid breeze that visited me before dawn,

A gentle morning breeze visited me at dawn,

you stirred my suffering—may ailments never stir in you!

Stirring me though illness was not stirred.

روَّحْتَ جمرَ حشىً لم يبقَ منهُ سِوى

روَّحْتَ جمرَ حشىً لم يبقَ منهُ سِوى

شرارةٍ فهو مذ روحتها شُعَلُ

شرارةٍ فهو مذ روحتها شُعَلُ

You fanned a heart's embers, of which nothing remained but

You revived dying embers leaving only

a spark; since you fanned it, they have become flames.

A spark, and when you blew on it, it blazed.

ووقفةٍ في جَنانِ الليلِ خافيةٍ

ووقفةٍ في جَنانِ الليلِ خافيةٍ

عن الوشاةِ فلا رُقْبَى ولا عَذَلُ

عن الوشاةِ فلا رُقْبَى ولا عَذَلُ

And a tryst in the darkness of night, hidden

A secret stance in the gardens of night,

from tale-bearers, with neither spying nor reproach.

Safe from slanderers, no necks were bent.

وافتَ وفوقَ لآلي الثغرِ من لَعَسٍ

وافتَ وفوقَ لآلي الثغرِ من لَعَسٍ

ختامُ مسكٍ ففضّت ختمَها القُبَلُ

ختامُ مسكٍ ففضّت ختمَها القُبَلُ

She came, and above her mouth's pearls her lips' dusky hue was

You came to me after midnight with sweet lips

a seal of musk; kisses broke her seal.

Like musk-sealed wine whose seal kisses opened.

كأنما ثمِلتْ من خمرِ ريقتِها

كأنما ثمِلتْ من خمرِ ريقتِها

جُفونُها إذ تثنَّى قدُّها الثَّمِلُ

جُفونُها إذ تثنَّى قدُّها الثَّمِلُ

As though drunk on the wine of her saliva

As if your eyelids were drunk with the wine

were her eyelids, as her drunken figure swayed.

Of your saliva when your neck bent.

محفوفةٌ بقصيراتِ الخُطَى خُرُدٍ

محفوفةٌ بقصيراتِ الخُطَى خُرُدٍ

أقدامُها بالقرون السودِ تنتعِلُ

أقدامُها بالقرون السودِ تنتعِلُ

She was surrounded by bashful maidens of short stride,

Surrounded by short-stepped lambs

her feet shod in black braids.

Whose feet are dyed black in tar.

بتنا وباتَ التُّقَى يقظانَ يحرُسُنَا

بتنا وباتَ التُّقَى يقظانَ يحرُسُنَا

ودينُنا في الهوى قولٌ ولا عملُ

ودينُنا في الهوى قولٌ ولا عملُ

We spent the night, and piety kept vigil, guarding us;

We passed the night while piety and devotion

and our creed in love was words, not deeds.

Kept watch, though our passion belied our faith.

ثم انثنينا وجيبي ما تعلَّقَهُ

ثم انثنينا وجيبي ما تعلَّقَهُ

غيرُ العَفافِ ورُدنِي من دَمِي خَضِلُ

غيرُ العَفافِ ورُدنِي من دَمِي خَضِلُ

Then we turned away, and nothing clung to my robe's neckline

Then we embraced, though nothing clung to me

but chastity, while my sleeve was wet with my blood.

Except chastity. Restore me from my stupor!