دُرّا بَعثتَ مُفصّلاً بِجُمانِ

دُرّا بَعثتَ مُفصّلاً بِجُمانِ

أَو رَوضَةً مِسكيَّةَ الريحانِ

أَو رَوضَةً مِسكيَّةَ الريحانِ

You sent pearls, interspersed with pearl beads,

Pearls you sent, strung in necklaces,

Or a garden whose basil is musk-scented.

Or a musky, fragrant garden of basil.

لا بَل عُروسا قَد زَفَفتَ تولّدت

لا بَل عُروسا قَد زَفَفتَ تولّدت

ما بَينَ فكرٍ ناقِدٍ وَبَنانِ

ما بَينَ فكرٍ ناقِدٍ وَبَنانِ

No, rather a bride you have led in procession, born

Nay, but a bride you have brought before me,

Between a discerning mind and fingertips.

Born of thoughtful, critical mind and insight.

سَمعا لأمرك إِذ دعوتَ إِلى الَّتي

سَمعا لأمرك إِذ دعوتَ إِلى الَّتي

تَدَعُ القُلوبَ قَليلَة الأَحزانِ

تَدَعُ القُلوبَ قَليلَة الأَحزانِ

I heed your command, since you invited me to that

Hearkening to your call to her who leaves

Which leaves hearts with few sorrows.

Hearts little troubled with sorrow.

أَمّا الكُؤوس فَقَد جَرَت ما بَينَنا

أَمّا الكُؤوس فَقَد جَرَت ما بَينَنا

بَيدَي غَزالٍ ساحِرِ الأَجفانِ

بَيدَي غَزالٍ ساحِرِ الأَجفانِ

As for the cups, they have indeed circulated among us

As for cups, they passed amongst us

By the hands of a gazelle with bewitching eyelids,

In the hands of a gazelle, bewitching of eyelids,

خَنِثٍ يَسقيني المُدام بطُرفه

خَنِثٍ يَسقيني المُدام بطُرفه

وَبِكَفِّهِ وَمَتى أَشأ غَنّاني

وَبِكَفِّهِ وَمَتى أَشأ غَنّاني

Effeminate, he gives me wine with his glance,

An effeminate one who gives me wine with his glances

And with his palm; and whenever I wish, he sings for me.

And his palms, singing to me whenever he wishes.

فِعلاً لعمرُك لم أَكُن لأضَيعهُ

فِعلاً لعمرُك لم أَكُن لأضَيعهُ

لا تَحسَبنّا مِن بَني سَهوانِ

لا تَحسَبنّا مِن بَني سَهوانِ

By your life, I was not about to neglect such an act;

By your life! I would not squander it -

Do not count us among the sons of Sahwan.

Do not reckon us among the heedless.