باتَ نَديماً لِيَ حَتّى الصَباح

باتَ نَديماً لِيَ حَتّى الصَباح

أَغيَدُ مَجدولُ مَكانِ الوِشاح

أَغيَدُ مَجدولُ مَكانِ الوِشاح

He kept me company over wine until dawn,

He spent the night chatting with me until dawn,

a graceful youth, slender where his sash rests.

Like a supple branch in place of a pillow.

كَأَنَّما يَضحَكُ عَن لُؤلُؤٍ

كَأَنَّما يَضحَكُ عَن لُؤلُؤٍ

مُنَظَّمٍ أَو بَرَدٍ أَو أَقاح

مُنَظَّمٍ أَو بَرَدٍ أَو أَقاح

As though his smile revealed pearls,

As if he smiles with pearls arranged

strung together, or hailstones, or daisies.

Or chilled, or unripe fruits.

تَحسِبُهُ نَشوانَ إِمّا رَنا

تَحسِبُهُ نَشوانَ إِمّا رَنا

لِلفَترِ مِن أَجفانِهِ وَهوَ صاح

لِلفَترِ مِن أَجفانِهِ وَهوَ صاح

You would think him tipsy whenever he gazes,

You may think him drowsy, blinking

from the languor of his eyelids, though he is sober.

From heavy eyelids while vigilant.

بِتُّ أُفَدّيهِ وَلا أَرعَوي

بِتُّ أُفَدّيهِ وَلا أَرعَوي

لِنَهيِ ناهٍ عَنهُ أَو لَحيِ لاح

لِنَهيِ ناهٍ عَنهُ أَو لَحيِ لاح

I spent the night pledging my life for him, undeterred

I’d ransom him, not graze him

by anyone's prohibition against him or any censurer's reproach.

To forbid a warner from him, or a sharp-tongued guardian.

أَمزُجُ كَأسي بِجَنا ريقِهِ

أَمزُجُ كَأسي بِجَنا ريقِهِ

وَإِنَّما أَمزُجُ راحاً بِراح

وَإِنَّما أَمزُجُ راحاً بِراح

I mix my cup with the sweet yield of his saliva,

I mix my cup with the saliva of his mouth,

yet I am only mixing wine with wine.

Yet I mix only pleasure with pleasure.

يُساقِطُ الوَردَ عَلَينا وَقَد

يُساقِطُ الوَردَ عَلَينا وَقَد

تَبَلَّجَ الصُبحُ نَسيمُ الرِياح

تَبَلَّجَ الصُبحُ نَسيمُ الرِياح

Showering roses upon us, now that

He showers roses on us, while

dawn has brightened, is the breath of the winds.

The dawn glistens with the breeze’s spray.

أَغضَيتُ عَن بَعضِ الَّذي يُتَّقى

أَغضَيتُ عَن بَعضِ الَّذي يُتَّقى

مِن حَرَجٍ في حُبِّهِ أَو جُناح

مِن حَرَجٍ في حُبِّهِ أَو جُناح

I turned a blind eye to some of what one shuns:

I overlook some of what should be shunned

guilt in loving him, or sin.

Of unease in loving him or misstep.

سِحرُ العُيونِ النُجلِ مُستَهلِكٌ

سِحرُ العُيونِ النُجلِ مُستَهلِكٌ

لُبّي وَتَوريدُ الخُدودِ المِلاح

لُبّي وَتَوريدُ الخُدودِ المِلاح

The magic of those wide eyes consumes

The sorcery of languid eyes consumes

my reason, as does the rosy bloom of lovely cheeks.

My heart, and the blush of ruddy cheeks.

قُل لِأَبي نوحٍ شَقيق النَدى

قُل لِأَبي نوحٍ شَقيق النَدى

وَمَعدِنِ الجودِ وَحِلفِ السَماح

وَمَعدِنِ الجودِ وَحِلفِ السَماح

Tell Abu Nuh, generosity's own brother,

Say to my father Noah, kinsman of dew,

the mine of bounty and liberality's sworn ally:

And spring of generosity and ally of reconciliation,

أَعوذُ بِالرَأي الجَميلِ الَّذي

أَعوذُ بِالرَأي الجَميلِ الَّذي

عَوَّدتَهُ وَالنائِلِ المُستَماح

عَوَّدتَهُ وَالنائِلِ المُستَماح

I seek refuge in the gracious regard that

I seek refuge in the good opinion you held

you have made your habit, and in the bounty sought from you,

And in the asker made readily welcome,

مِن أَن تَصُدَّ الطَرفَ عَنّي وَأَن

مِن أَن تَصُدَّ الطَرفَ عَنّي وَأَن

أَخيبَ في جَدواكَ بَعدَ النَجاح

أَخيبَ في جَدواكَ بَعدَ النَجاح

lest you turn your gaze away from me, and lest

Lest you turn your eyes from me and

I be disappointed in your bounty after success.

I fail in your bounty after success.

إِن كانَ لي ذَنبٌ فَعَفواً وَإِن

إِن كانَ لي ذَنبٌ فَعَفواً وَإِن

لَم يَكُ لي ذَنبٌ فَفيمَ اِطِّراح

لَم يَكُ لي ذَنبٌ فَفيمَ اِطِّراح

If I am at fault, then pardon me; and if

If I have sinned, then pardon, and if

I am not at fault, why cast me aside?

I have no sin, then why rejection?

أَبَعدَ أَسبابٍ مِتانِ القُوى

أَبَعدَ أَسبابٍ مِتانِ القُوى

مِن فَرطِ شُكرِ سائِرٍ وَاِمتِداح

مِن فَرطِ شُكرِ سائِرٍ وَاِمتِداح

Is it after bonds of sturdy strands,

Beyond the sundering of firm ties

of profuse, far-spread gratitude and praise,

From excessive thanks and praise,

يُخبِرنَ عَن قَلبِ قَديمِ الهَوى

يُخبِرنَ عَن قَلبِ قَديمِ الهَوى

فيكَ وَعَن صَدرِ أَمينِ النَواح

فيكَ وَعَن صَدرِ أَمينِ النَواح

telling of a heart with longstanding love

It tells of a heart long loving you

for you, and a breast faithful in every part,

And a breast sincere in lamenting.

أَشمَتَّ أَعدائي وَأَخرَجتَني

أَشمَتَّ أَعدائي وَأَخرَجتَني

عَن سَيبِكَ المُغدى عَلَيَّ المُراح

عَن سَيبِكَ المُغدى عَلَيَّ المُراح

that you have made my enemies gloat and shut me out

My enemies rejoiced and you delivered me

from your bounty, bestowed on me morning and evening?

From your yielded sword that afflicted me.

فَهَل لِأُنسٍ بانَ مِن رَجعَةٍ

فَهَل لِأُنسٍ بانَ مِن رَجعَةٍ

أَم هَل لِحالٍ فَسَدَت مِن صَلاح

أَم هَل لِحالٍ فَسَدَت مِن صَلاح

Then can vanished companionship ever return,

Is there any hope for company that is gone,

or can a ruined state be restored?

Or any chance for a state fallen from grace?

إِنِّيَ مِن صَدِّكَ في لَوعَةٍ

إِنِّيَ مِن صَدِّكَ في لَوعَةٍ

تَغَوَّلَت لُبّي وَهاضَت جَناح

تَغَوَّلَت لُبّي وَهاضَت جَناح

Indeed, your rejection leaves me in anguish

I am in anguish from your rejection,

that has devoured my reason and broken my wing.

My heart writhes, and wings beat.

لَستُ عَلى سُخطِكَ جَلدَ القُوى

لَستُ عَلى سُخطِكَ جَلدَ القُوى

وَلا عَلى هَجرِكَ شاكي السِلاح

وَلا عَلى هَجرِكَ شاكي السِلاح

I have not the strength to bear your displeasure,

I have not the fortitude to withstand your wrath,

nor am I fully armed against your abandonment.

Nor the arms to withstand your estrangement.