وَمُهَفْهَفٍ أَشْكو فَظاظَةَ عاذِلٍ

وَمُهَفْهَفٍ أَشْكو فَظاظَةَ عاذِلٍ

يُزْري عَلَيَّ إِلى لَطافَةِ خَصْرِهِ

يُزْري عَلَيَّ إِلى لَطافَةِ خَصْرِهِ

And a slender youth—I complain of the harshness of a reproacher

With sighing and moaning, I complain of the harshness of a reproacher

who disparages me, to the delicacy of the youth’s waist.

Who casts aspersions on me about the softness of his slender waist

أَسْرى فَجابَ سَناهُ أَرْدِيَةَ الدُّجَى

أَسْرى فَجابَ سَناهُ أَرْدِيَةَ الدُّجَى

حَتّى اسْتَجارَ اللَّيلُ مِنْهُ بِشَعْرِهِ

حَتّى اسْتَجارَ اللَّيلُ مِنْهُ بِشَعْرِهِ

He traveled by night, and his radiance rent the robes of darkness,

I traveled by night and his radiant brightness illuminated the darkness

until night sought refuge from him in his hair.

Until the night sought refuge in his hair from him

والخَدُّ مِنْ عَرَقٍ يَفيضُ جُمانُهُ

والخَدُّ مِنْ عَرَقٍ يَفيضُ جُمانُهُ

كَالوَرْدِ قَرَّطَهُ الغَمامُ بِقَطْرِهِ

كَالوَرْدِ قَرَّطَهُ الغَمامُ بِقَطْرِهِ

And his cheek, its pearls of sweat streaming,

His cheek was dripping sweat from the flowing wine

is like a rose the cloud has adorned with earrings of its raindrops.

Like roses sprinkled by the clouds with their rain

وَبِكَفِّهِ القَدَحُ الرَّوِيُّ وَمِنْهُ ما

وَبِكَفِّهِ القَدَحُ الرَّوِيُّ وَمِنْهُ ما

أَلْتَذُّهُ وَيَروقُني مِنْ خَمْرِهِ

أَلْتَذُّهُ وَيَروقُني مِنْ خَمْرِهِ

And in his palm is a brimming goblet; from him comes what

In his hand was a goblet of wine from which

I savor and find delightful in its wine.

I take delight, solaced by its drink

هِيَ لَوْنُها مِنْ وَجْنَتَيْهِ وَطَعْمُها

هِيَ لَوْنُها مِنْ وَجْنَتَيْهِ وَطَعْمُها

مِنْ رِيقِهِ وَحَبابُها مِنْ ثَغْرِهِ

مِنْ رِيقِهِ وَحَبابُها مِنْ ثَغْرِهِ

Its color comes from his two cheeks, and its taste

Its color from his cheeks, its taste from his saliva

from his saliva, and its bubbles from his mouth.

Its bubbles from his lips