وَنَرجِسٌand a narcissus لَمdid not يَعدُexceed مِبيَضُّهُits white part الthe
وَنَرجِسٌ لَم يَعدُ مِبيَضُّهُ ال
كَأسَcup وَلاand not أَصفُرُهُits yellow part الراحاthe wine
كَأسَ وَلا أَصفُرُهُ الراحا
And a narcissus: its white part is no more than the
The narcissus no longer has its whiteness of chalice,
cup, and its yellow part no more than wine.
Nor its yellowness of fragrance.
تَخالُyou imagine أَقحافَbowls لُجَينٍsilver حَوَتcontained
تَخالُ أَقحافَ لُجَينٍ حَوَت
مِنof أَصفَرِyellow العَسجَدِgold أَقداحاgoblets
مِن أَصفَرِ العَسجَدِ أَقداحا
You would think that bowls of silver held
It seems like goblets of crystal
goblets of yellow gold.
Containing yellow drink.
كَأَنَّماas though تَهديbestow التَحاياgreetings بِهِthrough it
كَأَنَّما تَهدي التَحايا بِهِ
لطفاًin kindness إِلىto الأَرواحِthe souls أَرواحاsouls
لطفاً إِلى الأَرواحِ أَرواحا
As though greetings, through it, bestowed
As if you were gently conveying greetings
in kindness, souls upon souls.
To souls, O souls!
يُلهيit distracts عَنِfrom الوَردِthe rose إِذاwhen مارَناit gazes
يُلهي عَنِ الوَردِ إِذا مارَنا
وَيُخلِفُand it replaces المِسكَmusk إِذاwhen فاحاit gives off fragrance
وَيُخلِفُ المِسكَ إِذا فاحا
It distracts from the rose whenever it gazes,
It distracts from roses when we pass by
and takes the place of musk when it gives off fragrance.
And leaves behind musk when it blows.
أَحبِبhow dear! بِهِit is مِنas زائِرٍa visitor راحِلٍdeparting
أَحبِب بِهِ مِن زائِرٍ راحِلٍ
عُوَّضَwas repaid بِالأَحزانِwith sorrows أَفراحاjoys
عُوَّضَ بِالأَحزانِ أَفراحا
How dear it is—a departing visitor,
Love it from a traveling visitor
repaid with sorrows for joys.
Whose sorrows were compensated with joys.
فَاِنتَهِزso seize الفُرصَةَthe opportunity فيduring قُربِهِits nearness
فَاِنتَهِز الفُرصَةَ في قُربِهِ
وَكُنand be إِلىtoward اللَذّاتِthe pleasures مُرتاحاeager
وَكُن إِلى اللَذّاتِ مُرتاحا
So seize the opportunity while it is near,
Seize the opportunity in its nearness
and be eager for pleasures.
And be comfortable with pleasures.
وَهاتهاand bring it عَذراءَa virgin لَمnot تُفتَرَعbe deflowered
وَهاتها عَذراءَ لَم تُفتَرَع
فيin اللَيلِthe night إِلّاexcept that عادَit became إِصباحاdawn
في اللَيلِ إِلّا عادَ إِصباحا
And bring the wine, a virgin never deflowered
Bring it, a virgin who was not milked
at night without the night turning to dawn.
Except at night the dawn returns.
كَأَنَّماas though كُلُّeach of بَناتٍmaidens حَوَتcontained
كَأَنَّما كُلُّ بَناتٍ حَوَت
كاساتُهاits cups تَحمِلُcarries مِصباحاa lamp
كاساتُها تَحمِلُ مِصباحا
As though each of the maidens held
It's as if each daughter whose goblets
in its cups carried a lamp.
Contained lamps bearing light.
وَاِجنِand pluck بِأَلحاظِكِwith your glances مِنfrom وَجنَتيthe two cheeks of
وَاِجنِ بِأَلحاظِكِ مِن وَجنَتي
مُديرِهاits cupbearer وَرداًroses وَتُفّاحاand apples
مُديرِها وَرداً وَتُفّاحا
And pluck with your glances from the two cheeks
And wink your eyelashes from my cheeks
of its cupbearer roses and apples.
At its keeper, a rose and an apple.
Sol 6.1