أَروي لَكُمعَن شاعِرٍ ساحيرٍ

أَروي لَكُمعَن شاعِرٍ ساحيرٍ

حِكايَةً يُحمَدُ راويها

حِكايَةً يُحمَدُ راويها

I recount to you, about an enchanting poet,

I will recount for you, from a spellbinding poet,

I relate to you, from an enchanting poet,

A tale whose teller is praised.

A tale, praised be its narrator.

A tale whose narrator is worthy of praise.

قالَ دَعا أَصحابُهُ سَيِّدٌ

قالَ دَعا أَصحابُهُ سَيِّدٌ

في لَيلَةٍ رَقَّت حَواشيها

في لَيلَةٍ رَقَّت حَواشيها

He said: a lord invited his companions

A lord called his companions one night,

He said: A nobleman invited his companions,

On a night whose edges had grown tender.

Its edges softened by the moon’s light.

On a night whose edges were soft and gentle,

فَاِنتَظَمَت في قَصرِهِ عُصبَةٌ

فَاِنتَظَمَت في قَصرِهِ عُصبَةٌ

كَريمَةٌ لا واغِلٌ فيها

كَريمَةٌ لا واغِلٌ فيها

Then a company assembled in his palace,

In his palace gathered a group,

And there gathered within his palace a company,

Noble, with no uninvited guest among them.

Noble, no grudges held among the troop-

A noble group, with no intruder amongst them,

مِن نُبَلاءِ الشَعبِ ساداتُها

مِن نُبَلاءِ الشَعبِ ساداتُها

وَخيرَةِ الغيدِ غَوانيها

وَخيرَةِ الغيدِ غَوانيها

Its lords were from the people's nobility,

The people’s finest lords and ladies,

Its lords were the nobility of the people,

And its beauties the choicest of graceful women.

And the tribe’s most precious beauties-

And its ladies were the choicest of beauties,

حَتّى إِذا ما جَلَسوا كُلُّهُم

حَتّى إِذا ما جَلَسوا كُلُّهُم

وَطافَ بِالأَكوابِ ساقيها

وَطافَ بِالأَكوابِ ساقيها

Until, when they had all sat down,

Until seated were they, one and all,

Until, when they were all seated,

And its cupbearer went round with the cups,

As the cupbearer began his call.

And their cupbearer circulated with the goblets,

قامَ أَميرُ القَصرِ في كَفِّهِ

قامَ أَميرُ القَصرِ في كَفِّهِ

كَأسٌ أَعارَنَهُ مَعانيها

كَأسٌ أَعارَنَهُ مَعانيها

The palace's prince rose, in his hand

The lord of the house rose, cup in his grasp,

The lord of the palace rose, holding in his palm

A cup that lent him its meanings.

Lent meaning by the wine it did clasp.

A cup to which he lent its profound meanings,

وَقالَ يا صَحبُ عَلى ذِكرُكُم

وَقالَ يا صَحبُ عَلى ذِكرُكُم

أَملَءُها حُبّاً وَأَحسوها

أَملَءُها حُبّاً وَأَحسوها

And said, 'Friends, in remembrance of you,

“O friends,” said he, “remembering you

And he said: 'O friends, to your memory,

I fill it with love and sip it,

Fills it with love -drink deep, and do!”

I fill it with love and drink it deep,

وَذِكرِ مَن قَبِيَ عَبدٌ لَها

وَذِكرِ مَن قَبِيَ عَبدٌ لَها

وَمُهجَتي إِحدى جَواريها

وَمُهجَتي إِحدى جَواريها

And in remembrance of her whose slave my heart is,

“And remember a slave whose love was true,

And to the memory of her to whom my heart is a slave,

And my soul is one of her handmaids.

And my heart, one of her handmaidens too-

And whose handmaiden is my very soul,

حَبيبَتي لَمياءُ سَمَّيتُها

حَبيبَتي لَمياءُ سَمَّيتُها

وَلَم أَكُن قَبلاً أُسَمّيها

وَلَم أَكُن قَبلاً أُسَمّيها

My beloved—I name her Lamya,

My beloved Lamiya, I named her so,

My beloved, Lamyaa, I have named her,

And before this I had never named her.'

Never before had I named her, though,

Though I was not wont to name her before,'

فَشَرِبوا كُلُّهُمُ سِرَّها

فَشَرِبوا كُلُّهُمُ سِرَّها

وَهَتَفوا كُلُّهُمُ تيها

وَهَتَفوا كُلُّهُمُ تيها

Then they all drank a toast to her,

Drink up, all, her secret hiding,

So they all drank to her secret,

And they all shouted in exultation.

Cry out, all, your thirst abiding!”

And they all cried out in admiration,

فَأَجزِلِ الشُكرَ لِأَصحابِهِ

فَأَجزِلِ الشُكرَ لِأَصحابِهِ

الشُكرُ لِلنِعمَةِ يُبقيها

الشُكرُ لِلنِعمَةِ يُبقيها

Then he lavished thanks on his companions;

“Thank her guests abundantly,

He offered abundant thanks to his companions—

Gratitude for a blessing preserves it.

Gratitude makes blessings stay.

For gratitude preserves a blessing—

وَصاحَ بِالساقي عَلَينا بِها

وَصاحَ بِالساقي عَلَينا بِها

فَطافَ بِالأَكوابِ ساقيها

فَطافَ بِالأَكوابِ ساقيها

And shouted to the cupbearer, 'Bring it to us!'

Call the cupbearer, let him us attend!”

And he called to the cupbearer: 'Bring it to us again!'

Then its cupbearer went round with the cups.

All drank as the pourer did descend.

So their cupbearer circulated with the goblets,

وَقالَ لِلأَضيافِ سَمعاً فَلي

وَقالَ لِلأَضيافِ سَمعاً فَلي

كِلمَةٌ العَدلُ يُمليها

كِلمَةٌ العَدلُ يُمليها

And told the guests, 'Listen, for I have

“Listen, friends, justice makes me say:

And he said to the guests: 'Hear me, for I have

A word that justice dictates.

I’m not alone in loving today-

A word that justice itself dictates:

ما أَنا وَحدي الصَبُّ فيكُم وَلا

ما أَنا وَحدي الصَبُّ فيكُم وَلا

كُلُّ العَذارى مَن أُناجيها

كُلُّ العَذارى مَن أُناجيها

I am not the only lovesick one among you, nor

Nor do I alone pine and sigh

'I am not the only one among you struck by love, nor

Are all the maidens the one I whisper to.

For a maiden I court and glorify.

Is she whom I court the only maiden,'

فَكُلُّ نَفسٍ مِثلُ نَفسي لَها

فَكُلُّ نَفسٍ مِثلُ نَفسي لَها

في هَذِهِ الدُنيا أَمانيها

في هَذِهِ الدُنيا أَمانيها

For every soul, like my soul, has

Each soul like mine has its dreams come true,

'For every soul, like mine, possesses

Its wishes in this world.

Each heart hopes for a love so true.

Its own desires in this world,

وَكُلُّ قَلبٍ مِثلُ قَلبي لَهُ

وَكُلُّ قَلبٍ مِثلُ قَلبي لَهُ

حَسناءَ تَرجوهُ وَيَرجوها

حَسناءَ تَرجوهُ وَيَرجوها

And every heart, like my heart, has

My friends, speak now of your passions boiling,

And every heart, like mine, holds

A beauty who yearns for it, as it yearns for her.

Reveal the names your hearts are roiling!”

A beauty who yearns for him as he yearns for her,

يا صَحبُ مَن كانَت بِهِ صَبوَةٌ

يا صَحبُ مَن كانَت بِهِ صَبوَةٌ

يُعلِنُها الآنَ وَيُبديها

يُعلِنُها الآنَ وَيُبديها

Friends, whoever feels a yearning

Again they rose, each and every one,

'O friends, whoever harbors a passion,

Should announce it now and reveal it.'

Raising their cups in unison-

Let him declare it now and reveal it!'

فَنَهَضوا ثانِيَةً كُلُّهُم

فَنَهَضوا ثانِيَةً كُلُّهُم

وَرَفَعوا الكاساتِ تَنويها

وَرَفَعوا الكاساتِ تَنويها

Then they all rose a second time

Drinking the secret of she

So they all rose a second time,

And raised their cups in tribute.

Who stirs them to love’s ecstasy.

And raised their glasses in tribute,

كُلُّهُم يَشرَبُ سِرَّ الَّتي

كُلُّهُم يَشرَبُ سِرَّ الَّتي

يَهوى مِنَ الغيدِ وَيُطرِبُها

يَهوى مِنَ الغيدِ وَيُطرِبُها

Each drank a toast to the woman

One dashing lad did not comply,

Each drinking to the secret of the one

He loved among the graceful women, delighting her.

His looks made watchers swoon and sigh.

He loves among the beauties, delighting in her,

وَكانَ في الشَربِ فَتىً باسِلٌ

وَكانَ في الشَربِ فَتىً باسِلٌ

طَلعَتُهُ تُسحِرُ رائيها

طَلعَتُهُ تُسحِرُ رائيها

And among the drinkers was a valiant youth;

He joined the first round of their imbibing,

And among the drinkers was a gallant youth,

His countenance bewitched whoever saw it.

But not the second, slyly grinning.

Whose countenance enchanted the beholder,

شارَكَ في أَوَّلِ أَقداحِمِ

شارَكَ في أَوَّلِ أَقداحِمِ

وَلَم يُشارِكهُم بِثانيها

وَلَم يُشارِكهُم بِثانيها

He joined in their first round of cups,

“And you?” his friends jeered and scoffed,

He partook in their first round of cups,

But did not join them in the second.

“Have you no darling we can toast?”

But did not join them in the second,

وَأَنتَ قالَ الصَحبُ وَاِستَضحَكوا

وَأَنتَ قالَ الصَحبُ وَاِستَضحَكوا

هَل لَكَ حَسناءٌ نُحَيِّها

هَل لَكَ حَسناءٌ نُحَيِّها

'And you?' said the companions, laughing.

“Yes,” said he, “I drink to my heart’s devotion,

'And what of you?' the friends asked, laughing,

'Do you have a beauty we may salute?'

Who my soul saves, for her I’d die in ocean.

'Have you no beauty for us to toast?'

قالَ أَجَل أَشرَبُ سِرَّ الَّتي

قالَ أَجَل أَشرَبُ سِرَّ الَّتي

بِالروحِ تَفديني وَأَفديها

بِالروحِ تَفديني وَأَفديها

He said, 'Yes; I drink a toast to the one

Her image in my heart engraved lies,

He said: 'Yes, I drink to the secret of she who

Who ransoms me with her life, and whom I ransom with mine.

Naught, not even death, can it disguise.

Ransoms me with her soul, as I ransom her,

صورَتُها في القَلبِ مَطبوعَةٌ

صورَتُها في القَلبِ مَطبوعَةٌ

لا شَيءَ حَتّى المَوتِ يَمحوها

لا شَيءَ حَتّى المَوتِ يَمحوها

Her image is imprinted on my heart;

Don’t doubt my sincerity, or suppose

Her image is imprinted within my heart,

Nothing—not even death—can erase it.

I dissemble love under guile’s gloze.

Nothing, not even death, can erase it,

لا تَتَرَضّاني رِياءً وَلا

لا تَتَرَضّاني رِياءً وَلا

تَلثُمُني كَذِباً وَتَمويها

تَلثُمُني كَذِباً وَتَمويها

She does not seek to please me hypocritically, nor

Wealth disappears and youthfulness fades,

She does not seek my favor out of pretense, nor

Kiss me with falsehood and deceit.

But my love and hers forever remains.

Does she kiss me with deceit or disguise,

يَضيعُ مالي وَيَزولُ الصِبى

يَضيعُ مالي وَيَزولُ الصِبى

وَحُبُّها باقٍ وَحُبّيها

وَحُبُّها باقٍ وَحُبّيها

My wealth may vanish, and youth may fade,

She gave me her soul completely and plain,

My wealth may perish and my youth may fade,

Yet her love endures, and my love for her.

Not fearing I’d sacrifice it in vain.

Yet her love—and my love for her—remains,

قَد وَهَبَتني روحَها كُلُّها

قَد وَهَبَتني روحَها كُلُّها

وَلَم تَخَف أَنّي أُضَحّيها

وَلَم تَخَف أَنّي أُضَحّيها

She has given me her whole soul,

The secret love you drink to, my friends,

She has gifted me her entire soul,

And did not fear that I might sacrifice it.

However passionately professed or pends,

Without fearing that I might sacrifice her,

سِرَّ الَّتي لا غادَةٌ بَينَكُم

سِرَّ الَّتي لا غادَةٌ بَينَكُم

مَهما سَمَت في الحُبِّ تَحكيها

مَهما سَمَت في الحُبِّ تَحكيها

A toast to her whom no beauty among you,

Is not like mine, matchless and peerless,

To the secret of she whom no maiden among you,

However high she rises in love, can equal.'

No equal in ardor, beyond all measure.”

However high she soars in love, can resemble.'

فَأَجفَلوا مِنهُ كَمِن حَيَّةٍ

فَأَجفَلوا مِنهُ كَمِن حَيَّةٍ

نَهاشَةٍ قَد عَزَّ راقيها

نَهاشَةٍ قَد عَزَّ راقيها

Then they recoiled from him as from a snake,

They recoiled, as if bitten by snakes,

They recoiled from him as if from a serpent,

A savage biter whose charmer was hard to find.

Their banquet’s joy his speech forsakes.

A biting viper whose charmer cannot be found,

وَقالَتِ الغاداتُ أُفٍّ لَهُ

وَقالَتِ الغاداتُ أُفٍّ لَهُ

قَد شَوَّهَ المَجلِسَ تَشويها

قَد شَوَّهَ المَجلِسَ تَشويها

And the beauties said, 'Fie on him!

The ladies hissed “Shame!” and “Disgrace!

And the ladies cried: 'Fie upon him!

He has utterly marred the gathering.

He has ruined the gathering’s grace!”

He has utterly ruined the gathering!'

لَو ظَلَّ فيما بَينَنا صامِتاً

لَو ظَلَّ فيما بَينَنا صامِتاً

لَم تَسمَعِ الآذانُ مَكروها

لَم تَسمَعِ الآذانُ مَكروها

Had he remained silent among us,

“If only he’d held his tongue in our midst,

Had he remained silent amongst us,

Our ears would have heard nothing offensive.'

No ears would have heard his words unmissed.”

Our ears would not have heard such offense,

وَقَلقَلَ الفِتيانُ أَسيافَهُم

وَقَلقَلَ الفِتيانُ أَسيافَهُم

فَأَوشَكَت تَبدو حَواشيها

فَأَوشَكَت تَبدو حَواشيها

And the young men rattled their swords,

The youths grasped their blades in that house

The young men rattled their swords,

So their edges almost came into view.

Anger flashed in eyes once mellow and doused.

And their blades nearly came into view,

وَتَعتَعَ الشادي بِأَلحانِهِ

وَتَعتَعَ الشادي بِأَلحانِهِ

وَماجَتِ الدارُ بِمَن فيها

وَماجَتِ الدارُ بِمَن فيها

And the singer faltered in his melodies,

The singer strummed his melodies no more,

The singer faltered in his melodies,

And the house seethed with those inside it.

The mansion churned with those troubles bore.

And the hall surged with those within,

وَقالَ قَومٌ خَبَلَتهُ الطِلا

وَقالَ قَومٌ خَبَلَتهُ الطِلا

وَقالَ قَومٌ صارَ مَعتوها

وَقالَ قَومٌ صارَ مَعتوها

And some said, 'The wine has deranged him,'

Some said “He is mad”, some said “Possessed!”

Some said: 'The wine has addled his wits,'

And some said, 'He has gone mad.'

The host cried “Sir, pray, calm our unrest!

And others: 'He has become a madman!'

فَصاحَ رَبُّ الدارِ يا سَيِّدي

فَصاحَ رَبُّ الدارِ يا سَيِّدي

وَصَفتَها لِم لا تُسَمّيها

وَصَفتَها لِم لا تُسَمّيها

Then the master of the house cried, 'Sir,

You described her yet did not name your fair maid,

Then the host cried out: 'O sir,

You have described her; why not name her?

Too shy to share passions displayed?”

You have described her, why do you not name her?

أَتَخجَلُ بِاِسمِ مَنتَهوى

أَتَخجَلُ بِاِسمِ مَنتَهوى

أَحَسناءٌ بِغَيرِ اِسمِ

أَحَسناءٌ بِغَيرِ اِسمِ

Are you ashamed of the name of the one you love?

The youth bowed his head, speaking no more,

Are you ashamed of the name of the one you love?

A beauty without a name?'

Murmuring only: “Ummi, my core.”

Is she a beauty who bears no name?'

فَأَطرَقَ غَيرُ مُكتَرِثٍ

فَأَطرَقَ غَيرُ مُكتَرِثٍ

وَتَمتَم خاشِعاً أُمّي

وَتَمتَم خاشِعاً أُمّي

Then he lowered his head, unconcerned,

So he bowed his head, unconcerned,

And murmured reverently, 'My mother.'

And murmured with reverence: 'My mother.'