حَيِّ غَزالاً سَلَّ مِنْ أَجْفانِهِ

حَيِّ غَزالاً سَلَّ مِنْ أَجْفانِهِ

عَضْباً غَدَا يَقْتُلُ في أَجْفانِهِ

عَضْباً غَدَا يَقْتُلُ في أَجْفانِهِ

Greet a gazelle who drew from his eyelids

A greeting to the gazelle whose eyelids

A keen blade that now kills while still sheathed.

Spawned anger that became murderous at dawn

فالسّحْرُ مَا اسْتُنْبِطَ مِنْ لِحَاظِهِ

فالسّحْرُ مَا اسْتُنْبِطَ مِنْ لِحَاظِهِ

وَالدُّرُّ ما اسْتوْدِعَ فِي مَرْجَانِهِ

وَالدُّرُّ ما اسْتوْدِعَ فِي مَرْجَانِهِ

For magic is what was drawn from his glances,

Sorcery was not conjured from his glances

And pearls are what were deposited in his coral.

Nor were gems hidden away in his iris

كَمْ بِتُّ أَجْنِي مِنْ جَنَى خَدِّه

كَمْ بِتُّ أَجْنِي مِنْ جَنَى خَدِّه

وَرْداً نما فَوْقَ غُصُونِ بانِهِ

وَرْداً نما فَوْقَ غُصُونِ بانِهِ

How often I spent the night gathering from the fruit of his cheek

How often have I plucked from his cheek’s orchard

Roses that grew above the boughs of his bān-tree,

A blossoming rose on the branch of his daintiness

حَيْثُ أَسوغُ العَذْبَ مِنْ مَرْشِفه

حَيْثُ أَسوغُ العَذْبَ مِنْ مَرْشِفه

وَأَرْشِفُ الواضِحَ مِنْ جُمانِهِ

وَأَرْشِفُ الواضِحَ مِنْ جُمانِهِ

Where I drink the sweet draught from his lips

Where the freshest drink comes from his cup

And sip the clear draught from his pearls.

And I drink deep the clarity in his chalice

مَنازِلاً كُنْتُ بِهَا مُصَرِّفاً

مَنازِلاً كُنْتُ بِهَا مُصَرِّفاً

أَعِنَّةَ اللَّهو لَدَى مَيْدانِهِ

أَعِنَّةَ اللَّهو لَدَى مَيْدانِهِ

Abodes where I once guided

The playgrounds where I amused myself

The reins of revelry in its arena.

Toying with the distractions of leisure in their plaza

فيا رَعَى اللَّه زَماناً قَدْ مَضَى

فيا رَعَى اللَّه زَماناً قَدْ مَضَى

وَالعَيْشُ مَنْسُوبٌ لِذي زَمانِهِ

وَالعَيْشُ مَنْسُوبٌ لِذي زَمانِهِ

Ah, may God preserve a time that has passed,

Oh may God preserve the days now passed

And life is ascribed to the master of its age.

For life belongs to he who owns his time