جامٌ حَوَى في الظَّرْفِ كلَّ بابِ

جامٌ حَوَى في الظَّرْفِ كلَّ بابِ

مُستملَحٍ منه ومستطابِ

مُستملَحٍ منه ومستطابِ

A bowl containing every form of elegance,

A cup adorned with all kinds of doors

all that is charming and pleasing in it.

Each one delicious and fragrant

فالحسنُ فيه واضحُ الأسبابِ

فالحسنُ فيه واضحُ الأسبابِ

منقِطع الأشكالِ والأَضْراب

منقِطع الأشكالِ والأَضْراب

For the grounds of its beauty are clear,

With evident beauty and elegance

without counterpart or peer.

Free of any shape or pattern

يُعجِز في الوصفِ ذوى الأَلْباب

يُعجِز في الوصفِ ذوى الأَلْباب

مع التَّغالي فيه والإطْناب

مع التَّغالي فيه والإطْناب

It leaves the discerning unable to describe it,

That would perplex the most rational minds

even with extravagant praise and elaboration.

Despite lavish descriptions and abundance

له غِشاءٌ صيغ من إهاب

له غِشاءٌ صيغ من إهاب

حُرِّر بالأيدي وبالألباب

حُرِّر بالأيدي وبالألباب

It has a covering fashioned from hide,

It has a delicate cover made with care

perfected by hands and minds,

Crafted gently by hands and minds

حتى أتى في غاية الصواب

حتى أتى في غاية الصواب

ليس بذي مَيْل ولا اضطراب

ليس بذي مَيْل ولا اضطراب

until it reached the height of perfection,

Until reaching the epitome of perfection

with neither crookedness nor irregularity.

Without any tilt or disturbance

مُزَعفَرٌ محبَّب الْجِلْباب

مُزَعفَرٌ محبَّب الْجِلْباب

كظاهِرِ النارَنجُ والعُنّاب

كظاهِرِ النارَنجُ والعُنّاب

Saffron-colored, its outer robe finely grained,

Adorned and clad in fine garments

like the skins of bitter orange and jujube,

Like the peel of an orange or ripe grapes

أو مثلُ دينارٍ كِرا ضَرّابِ

أو مثلُ دينارٍ كِرا ضَرّابِ

ثم يُعرَّى منه باسْتِلاب

ثم يُعرَّى منه باسْتِلاب

or like a dinar paid as a minter's wage.

Or a well-struck golden coin

Then it is bared as that covering is snatched away,

Whose wrap is then removed

مثلُ حُسامٍ سُلَّ من قِراب

مثلُ حُسامٍ سُلَّ من قِراب

أو بدرُ تِمٍّ لاحَ من سَحاب

أو بدرُ تِمٍّ لاحَ من سَحاب

like a keen sword drawn from a scabbard,

Like an unsheathed sword from its scabbard

or a full moon shining out of clouds,

Or a full moon emerging from clouds

أو غادةٍ تُسْفِر من نِقاب

أو غادةٍ تُسْفِر من نِقاب

شَفٍّ كماءٍ راقَ في ثِعاب

شَفٍّ كماءٍ راقَ في ثِعاب

or a graceful maiden revealing her face from behind a veil.

Or a beauty unveiling from her veil

Transparent, like water running clear in channels,

Pure as water flowing in a stream

كأنما صُوِّر من شَراب

كأنما صُوِّر من شَراب

صُفَّ على ساحاتِه الرِّحاب

صُفَّ على ساحاتِه الرِّحاب

as though it had been fashioned from a drink.

As if it was painted with a drink

Across its spacious surfaces were arrayed

Its open fields arrayed

قَطائفٌ لَطائفٌ رَوابِ

قَطائفٌ لَطائفٌ رَوابِ

لم تُحْشَ بل صُفَّت على اصْطِحاب

لم تُحْشَ بل صُفَّت على اصْطِحاب

delicate, plump qatayif pancakes,

With charming and delightful treats

not stuffed, but laid out together

Placed together not heaped

في المسكِ والفُسْتقِ والْجُلاَّب

في المسكِ والفُسْتقِ والْجُلاَّب

كأنها أَلسِنة الأحباب

كأنها أَلسِنة الأحباب

with musk, pistachios, and rosewater syrup.

Of musk, pistachio, and dried fruit

They seem like the tongues of loved ones,

Their shapes like lovers' tongues

في الشَّكْل والنَّكْهة والرُّضاب

في الشَّكْل والنَّكْهة والرُّضاب

مَلْمَسُهاَ كوَجْنَةِ الكَعاب

مَلْمَسُهاَ كوَجْنَةِ الكَعاب

in shape, fragrance, and saliva.

In form, taste, and arrangement

Their feel is like a nubile maiden's cheek,

With a touch soft as chewed dates

وطعمُها كلَذَّة العِتاب

وطعمُها كلَذَّة العِتاب

من بعدِ صَدٍّ طالَ واجْتنابِ

من بعدِ صَدٍّ طالَ واجْتنابِ

and their taste like the pleasure of reproach,

And a flavor sweet as reproach

after long rejection and avoidance.

After prolonged aloofness and avoidance

تَنزل في الْحَلْق بلا حِجاب

تَنزل في الْحَلْق بلا حِجاب

فهْي طعامٌ وهْي كالشَّراب

فهْي طعامٌ وهْي كالشَّراب

They go down the throat without obstruction;

Descending unrestrained down the throat

for they are food, and like a drink.

Being both food and drink

فالنّابُ عنها الدهرَ غيرُ نابِ

فالنّابُ عنها الدهرَ غيرُ نابِ

والقلبُ في حرصٍ وفي طِلاب

والقلبُ في حرصٍ وفي طِلاب

So the tooth never recoils from them,

With time unable to diminish it

and the heart is eager and intent on seeking,

And the heart filled with eagerness and request

واليدُ بين السَّيْرِ والإياب

واليدُ بين السَّيْرِ والإياب

في نَقْلِها للفم كالدُّولابِ

في نَقْلِها للفم كالدُّولابِ

and the hand, between going and returning,

The hand moving to and fro

carrying them to the mouth, is like a waterwheel.

Carrying it to the mouth continuously

كأنها زيارةُ الإغْبابِ

كأنها زيارةُ الإغْبابِ

والعُمرُ في الصحة والشَّباب

والعُمرُ في الصحة والشَّباب

As though it were a visit paid every other day,

As if it were loved ones come to visit

and life were spent in health and youth.

And life was in health and youth