أَنت وَالكَأسُ في يَدي

أَنت وَالكَأسُ في يَدي

فَلِمَن أَنتِ في غَدِ

فَلِمَن أَنتِ في غَدِ

You and the cup are in my hand—

You and the cup are in my hand,

You and the cup are in my hand,

then whose will you be tomorrow?

So to whom will you belong tomorrow?

But to whom will you belong tomorrow?

فَاِستَشاطَت لِقَولَتي

فَاِستَشاطَت لِقَولَتي

غَضَباً في تَمَرُّدِ

غَضَباً في تَمَرُّدِ

So she flared up at my remark

She was enraged at my words,

She flared up at my words

in anger and rebellion.

In rebellion and defiance.

With anger and rebellion,

وَأَشاحَت بِوَجهِها

وَأَشاحَت بِوَجهِها

وَاِدَّعَت أَنَّني رَدي

وَاِدَّعَت أَنَّني رَدي

And she turned her face away

She turned her face away,

And she turned her face away,

and claimed that I was base,

Claiming I was insincere in my passion,

Claiming that I was wretched,

كاذِبٌ في صَبابَتي

كاذِبٌ في صَبابَتي

ماذِقٌ في تَوَدُّدي

ماذِقٌ في تَوَدُّدي

false in my passion,

A liar in my youth,

A liar in my passion,

insincere in my affection.

And a fraud in my overtures.

Deceitful in my affection.

قُلتُ عَفواً فَإِنَّها

قُلتُ عَفواً فَإِنَّها

سَورَةٌ مِن مُعَربِدِ

سَورَةٌ مِن مُعَربِدِ

I said: Forgive me, for this is

I said, "Forgive me, it was

I said, "Forgive me, for it was"

a drunken reveler's outburst.

Just a flight of poetic fancy."

"Merely a drunkard's outburst."

وَجَرى الصُلح وَاِلتَقى

وَجَرى الصُلح وَاِلتَقى

ثَغرَها ثَغرِيَ الصَدي

ثَغرَها ثَغرِيَ الصَدي

Peace was made, and there met

Peace was made, and

So peace was restored, and there met

her lips and my thirsty lips.

My lips met her sweet mouth.

Her lips with my thirsty mouth.

أَذعَنَ القَلبُ طائِعاً

أَذعَنَ القَلبُ طائِعاً

بَعدَ ذاكَ التَمَرُّدِ

بَعدَ ذاكَ التَمَرُّدِ

The heart yielded willingly

My heart submitted willingly

The heart submitted obediently

after that rebellion.

After that rebellion.

After that rebellion,

فَنَعِمنا هُنَيهَةً

فَنَعِمنا هُنَيهَةً

بِالوَلاءِ المُجَدَّدِ

بِالوَلاءِ المُجَدَّدِ

Then we were happy for a little while

So we enjoyed a moment

And we basked in bliss for a moment

in renewed devotion,

Of renewed loyalty,

In our renewed devotion,

بَينَ ماءٍ مُصَفِّقٍ

بَينَ ماءٍ مُصَفِّقٍ

وَهَزارٍ مُغَرِّدِ

وَهَزارٍ مُغَرِّدِ

amid clapping water

Between the sound of splashing water

Beside the rippling waters

and a singing nightingale.

And the songs of birds.

And the warbling nightingale.

ثُمَّ عادَت وَساوِسي

ثُمَّ عادَت وَساوِسي

فَأَنا في تَرَدُّدِ

فَأَنا في تَرَدُّدِ

Then my misgivings returned,

Then my doubts returned,

But then my dark whispers returned,

and I was wavering.

And I was left confused.

And I fell back into hesitation.

راعَها مِنِّيَ الحُبُّ السُكو

راعَها مِنِّيَ الحُبُّ السُكو

تُ فَذَمَّت تَبَلُّدي

تُ فَذَمَّت تَبَلُّدي

My love's silence alarmed her,

My silent love alarmed her,

My silence alarmed her,

so she reproached my dullness.

So she rebuked my apathy.

So she chided my aloofness.

قالَتِ الحُبُّ سَرمَدٌ

قالَتِ الحُبُّ سَرمَدٌ

قُلتُ لا شَيءَ سَرمَدي

قُلتُ لا شَيءَ سَرمَدي

She said: Love is eternal.

She said, "Love is eternal."

She said, "Love is eternal."

I said: Nothing is eternal.

I said, "Nothing is eternal."

I replied, "Nothing is eternal."

أَتُحِبّينَني إِذا

أَتُحِبّينَني إِذا

زالَ مَجدي وَسُؤدُدي

زالَ مَجدي وَسُؤدُدي

Will you love me if

"Will you still love me

"Would you love me still if"

my glory and eminence vanish?

When my glory and power fade?"

"My glory and prestige were gone?"

فَأَجابَت لِفَورِها

فَأَجابَت لِفَورِها

أَنتَ لا المَجَدَ مَقصَدي

أَنتَ لا المَجَدَ مَقصَدي

She answered at once:

She immediately replied,

She answered at once:

You, not glory, are my aim.

"It's you I want, not your glory."

"You, not glory, are my desire."

قُلتُ هَل تَحفَظينَ عَه

قُلتُ هَل تَحفَظينَ عَه

دي إِذا صاغَ عَسجَدي

دي إِذا صاغَ عَسجَدي

I said: Will you honor

I said, "Will you keep your promise

I said, "Would you keep our covenant"

my pledge if my gold is cast?

If fortune fails me?"

"If my gold were to vanish?"

فَأَجابَت بِرِقَّةٍ

فَأَجابَت بِرِقَّةٍ

أَنتَ ما عِشتُ سَيِّدي

أَنتَ ما عِشتُ سَيِّدي

She answered tenderly:

She tenderly answered,

She answered with tenderness:

You are my master as long as I live,

"You are forever my master."

"You are my lord as long as I live,"

كُنتَ كَالشَمسِ في الغِنى

كُنتَ كَالشَمسِ في الغِنى

أَم فَقيراً كَجَدجَدِ

أَم فَقيراً كَجَدجَدِ

whether sunlike in wealth

Once I shone like the sun, rich,

"Whether you were rich as the sun"

or poor as a cricket.

Now I am poor as a beggar.

"Or poor as a field cricket."

حَسَناً قُلتُ ضاحِكاً

حَسَناً قُلتُ ضاحِكاً

يا مَلاكي وَفَرقَدي

يا مَلاكي وَفَرقَدي

Well, I said, laughing,

"Good," I said laughing,

"Very well," I said, laughing,

my angel and my Farqad star,

"My angel and my joy."

"O my angel and my guiding star,"

إِنَّما هَل يَدومُ لي

إِنَّما هَل يَدومُ لي

حُبُّكِ المُشرِقُ النَدي

حُبُّكِ المُشرِقُ النَدي

but will there endure for me

But will your love for me endure,

"But will it truly last for me,"

your radiant, dew-fresh love,

Radiant and fresh?

"Your radiant, dewy love,"

إِن حَنى الدَهرُ قامَتي

إِن حَنى الدَهرُ قامَتي

وَمَحا الشَيبُ أَسوَدي

وَمَحا الشَيبُ أَسوَدي

if time bends my stature

If time should bend me,

"If time bends my stature"

and gray hair erases my black hair,

And grey tinge my black hair,

"And gray hair erases my youth?"

وَاِنطَوى رَونَقُ الصِبا

وَاِنطَوى رَونَقُ الصِبا

مِثلَ بَرقٍ بِفَدفَدِ

مِثلَ بَرقٍ بِفَدفَدِ

and the splendor of youth folds away

And the bloom of youth fade

"When the luster of youth fades away"

like lightning over a barren plain?

Like lightning in clouds.

"Like lightning in a barren desert?"

قالَتِ الشَكُّ آفَةُ الحُب

قالَتِ الشَكُّ آفَةُ الحُب

بِ فَاِنبُذهُ تَسعَدِ

بِ فَاِنبُذهُ تَسعَدِ

She said: Doubt is love's blight;

She said, "Doubt is the bane of love,

She said, "Doubt is the blight of love,"

cast it off and be happy.

So cast it away and be happy.

"So cast it aside and find happiness."

لَيسَ حُبّيكَ لِلصِبا

لَيسَ حُبّيكَ لِلصِبا

لَستَ فيهِ بِأَوحَدِ

لَستَ فيهِ بِأَوحَدِ

I do not love you for youth—

My love is not just for your youth,

"My love for you is not for youth,"

you are not unique in that—

You are peerless to me.

"For in that, you are not unique,"

بَل لِما فيكَ مِن صِفا

بَل لِما فيكَ مِن صِفا

ت وَمِن طيبِ مُحتَدِ

ت وَمِن طيبِ مُحتَدِ

but for the qualities within you

But for your noble character

"But for the virtues within you"

and the nobility of your lineage.

And pure intentions."

"And for your noble spirit."

قُلت وَالشَكُّ رائِحٌ

قُلت وَالشَكُّ رائِحٌ

في ضَميري وَمُغتَدِ

في ضَميري وَمُغتَدِ

I said, as doubt came at evening

I said, "Yet doubt gnaws

I said, while doubt still paced

into my soul, and again at dawn:

At my heart and mind.

Back and forth within my mind:

وَإِذا غالَني الحَما

وَإِذا غالَني الحَما

م وَأَصبَحتُ في غَدِ

م وَأَصبَحتُ في غَدِ

And if death steals me away

And when grim death takes me

"And what if death should seize me,"

and tomorrow I become

And I am gone tomorrow,

"And tomorrow I became"

جَنَّةً لَفَّها الثَرى

جَنَّةً لَفَّها الثَرى

بَِلظَلامِ المُؤَبَّدِ

بَِلظَلامِ المُؤَبَّدِ

a garden the earth has enfolded

My body rots in a grave

"A corpse enveloped by the soil"

in everlasting darkness,

In that endless darkness,

"In eternal darkness,"

لَيسَ فيها لِصاحِبٍ

لَيسَ فيها لِصاحِبٍ

أَرَبٌ أَو لِحُسَّدِ

أَرَبٌ أَو لِحُسَّدِ

where no friend has

With no loved one or enemy,

"Where neither friend has need,"

any interest, nor any envier,

While worms feed on my flesh,

"Nor envier has interest,"

وَسَرى الدودُ حَولَها

وَسَرى الدودُ حَولَها

يَتَغَذّى وَيَعتَدي

يَتَغَذّى وَيَعتَدي

and worms creep around it,

And you walk by at dawn

"And the worms crawl around it,"

feeding and ravaging,

And see only barren bones,

"Feeding and feasting,"

وَمَرَرتِ الغَداةَ بي

وَمَرَرتِ الغَداةَ بي

فَمَرَرتِ بِجامِدِ

فَمَرَرتِ بِجامِدِ

and you pass by me one morning,

Scattered by decay

"And you passed by me one morning,"

passing something lifeless,

Like logs burnt away.

"Passing by a lifeless thing,"

وَنَظَرتِ فَلَم تَرَي

وَنَظَرتِ فَلَم تَرَي

غَيرَ عَظمٍ مُجَرَّدِ

غَيرَ عَظمٍ مُجَرَّدِ

and look, but see

Will you still love me then,

"And you looked but saw nothing"

nothing but bare bone,

For my spirit and passion?"

"Save for a naked bone,"

بَعثَرَتهُ يَدُ البِلى

بَعثَرَتهُ يَدُ البِلى

كَنافِياتِ مَوقِدِ

كَنافِياتِ مَوقِدِ

scattered by the hand of decay

At that she cried, her tears

"Scattered by the hand of decay"

like the sweepings of a hearth,

Flowing like a shattered vessel.

"Like the ashes of a hearth—"

هَل تُحِبّينَني إِذَن

هَل تُحِبّينَني إِذَن

لِخِلالي وَمَحتَدي

لِخِلالي وَمَحتَدي

will you love me then

"How wrongly you think of me!

"Will you love me even then,"

for my virtues and my lineage?

O misguided one, come to your senses!

"For my virtues and my lineage?"

وَيكَ صاحَت وَدَمعُها

وَيكَ صاحَت وَدَمعُها

كَجُمانٍ مُبَدَّدِ

كَجُمانٍ مُبَدَّدِ

Woe to you! she cried, her tears

I call the dawn as witness,

"Woe to you!" she cried, her tears

like scattered pearls.

Gushing on meadows of daisies,

Falling like scattered pearls,

كَم تَظُنُّ الظُنونَ بي

كَم تَظُنُّ الظُنونَ بي

أَيُّها الزائِغُ اِهتَدِ

أَيُّها الزائِغُ اِهتَدِ

How many suspicions you harbor about me!

I call the night that clothes me

"How often you doubt me!"

You who stray, find the right way!

In the gown of infinity,

"O straying soul, find the path!"

أَشهِدُ الصُبحَ فائِضاً

أَشهِدُ الصُبحَ فائِضاً

في مُروجِ الزَبَرجَدِ

في مُروجِ الزَبَرجَدِ

I call the dawn to witness, pouring

I call the rain that nourishes,

"I call the overflowing morning to witness"

through meadows of chrysolite;

The field that flourishes,

"In the emerald meadows,"

أَشهِدُ اللَيلَ لابِساً

أَشهِدُ اللَيلَ لابِساً

طَيلَسانَ التَمَرُّدِ

طَيلَسانَ التَمَرُّدِ

I call the night to witness, wearing

The winged creatures,

"I call the night to witness,"

the mantle of rebellion;

Singing or on the nest,

"Cloaked in the shawl of rebellion,"

أُشهِدُ الغَيثَ مُعطِياً

أُشهِدُ الغَيثَ مُعطِياً

أُشهِدُ الحَقلَ يَجتَدي

أُشهِدُ الحَقلَ يَجتَدي

I call the rain to witness, giving;

The flowers and their fragrance

"I witness the giving rain,"

I call the field to witness, begging;

On the slopes and in the valleys.

"And the field that begs for it,"

وَذَواتِ الجَناحِ مِن

وَذَواتِ الجَناحِ مِن

باغِمٍ أَو مُغَرِّدِ

باغِمٍ أَو مُغَرِّدِ

and winged creatures, whether

I call the earth and the sky,

"And the winged creatures,"

cooing or singing;

I call God, my Creator as witness:

"Those that murmur and those that sing,"

وَالأَزاهير وَالشَذى

وَالأَزاهير وَالشَذى

في وِهاد وَأَنجُدِ

في وِهاد وَأَنجُدِ

and the flowers and fragrance

I will love you as you see,

"And the blossoms and the fragrance"

in valleys and uplands.

For passion and tenderness.

"In the valleys and the hills,"

أُشهِدُ الأَرض وَالسَما

أُشهِدُ الأَرض وَالسَما

أُشهِدُ اللَهَ موجِدي

أُشهِدُ اللَهَ موجِدي

I call the earth and sky to witness;

I will whisper to you at dawn,

"I call earth and sky to witness,"

I call God, my creator, to witness.

The gentle time of rest.

"I call God, my Creator, to witness,"

سَوفَ أَحيا كَما تَرى

سَوفَ أَحيا كَما تَرى

لِلهَوى وَالتَوَجُّدِ

لِلهَوى وَالتَوَجُّدِ

I shall live, as you see,

And whisper at dusk

"That I shall live, as you see,"

for love and passionate yearning.

And the twilight motorcade.

"For love and for passion."

فَأُناجيكَ في الضُحى

فَأُناجيكَ في الضُحى

وَهوَ أَمراسُ عَسجَدِ

وَهوَ أَمراسُ عَسجَدِ

I shall whisper to you in the forenoon,

Doffing her mantle in the countryside,

"I will whisper to you in the morning light,"

when it is cords of gold;

The night comes in, chilled.

"When it spins ropes of gold,"

وَأُناجيكَ في المَسا

وَأُناجيكَ في المَسا

وَالأَصيلِ المُوَرَّدِ

وَالأَصيلِ المُوَرَّدِ

and whisper to you in the evening

The streams sing to her

"And I will whisper to you in the evening"

and the rose-tinted late afternoon,

Like hymns in a temple.

"And in the rosy twilight."

في الرُبى تَخلَعُ الجَما

في الرُبى تَخلَعُ الجَما

لَ بُرودا وَتَرتَدي

لَ بُرودا وَتَرتَدي

on hills that doff beauty's

And the birds come to her

"On the hills that strip off beauty"

robes and don them again,

To warm their feathers.

"Like cloaks, only to don them again,"

وَالسَواقي لَها غِنا

وَالسَواقي لَها غِنا

ءٌ كَأَلحانِ مَعبَدِ

ءٌ كَأَلحانِ مَعبَدِ

while the watercourses have a song

I stay up, keeping the night company

"Where the rivulets sing songs"

like the melodies of Ma'bad,

With troubled heart.

"Sweet as the melodies of Ma'bad,"

وَالعَصافيرِ أَقبَلَت

وَالعَصافيرِ أَقبَلَت

نَحوَها لِلتَبَرُّدِ

نَحوَها لِلتَبَرُّدِ

and the sparrows come

And when I sleep, your phantom

"And the birds approach,"

toward them to cool themselves.

Creeps up on my bed.

"Coming to the water to cool themselves."

أَسهَرُ اللَيلَ وَحشَةً

أَسهَرُ اللَيلَ وَحشَةً

بِفُؤادٍ مُشَدَّدِ

بِفُؤادٍ مُشَدَّدِ

I shall stay awake at night in loneliness,

Desire for you fills me

"I will stay awake the night in loneliness,"

with a heart drawn taut.

Without end.

"With a heavy, bound heart,"

وَإِذا نُمتُ كَي

وَإِذا نُمتُ كَي

يَطرُقَ الطَيفُ مَرقَدي

يَطرُقَ الطَيفُ مَرقَدي

And if I sleep, it is so

And I moan heavily in sorrow,

"And if I sleep, it is only so"

your apparition may visit my bed,

My sighing distressed.

"Your phantom might visit my bed,"

فَيَظَلَّ الهِيامُ بي

فَيَظَلَّ الهِيامُ بي

يَنتَهي حَيثُ يَبتَدي

يَنتَهي حَيثُ يَبتَدي

and my passion may keep

We embraced for a moment

"So that my passion continues,"

ending where it begins.

Like both my eyelids shut.

"Ending where it began."

وَبِحُزنٍ تَنَهَّدتُ

وَبِحُزنٍ تَنَهَّدتُ

فَاِستَجاشَت تَنَهُّدي

فَاِستَجاشَت تَنَهُّدي

And sadly I sighed;

Yesterday escaped fleetingly.

Sadly she sighed,

and she stirred my sighing.

Today is not forever.

And her sigh stirred my own.

فَاِعتَنَقنا سُوَيعَةً

فَاِعتَنَقنا سُوَيعَةً

مِثلَ جَفنِيَ مُسَهَّدِ

مِثلَ جَفنِيَ مُسَهَّدِ

So we embraced for a little while,

Now I am alone with no beloved

We embraced for a fleeting moment,

like a sleepless person's two eyelids.

In this solitude.

Like the closing of a sleepless eye.

أَفلَتَ الأَمسَ هارِباً

أَفلَتَ الأَمسَ هارِباً

وَغدٌ لَيسَ مِن غَدِ

وَغدٌ لَيسَ مِن غَدِ

Yesterday escaped, fleeing,

My friend, pass the wine,

Yesterday fled away, escaping,

and tomorrow is no tomorrow.

And sing your melodies!

And tomorrow is no more.

وَصُرتُ وَحدي وَلَيسَ لي

وَصُرتُ وَحدي وَلَيسَ لي

أَرَبٌ في التَوَحُّدِ

أَرَبٌ في التَوَحُّدِ

And I was left alone, with no

Whenever I say "my friend, replenish,"

I became alone, with no

desire for solitude.

Fill my cup again and again!

Desire for solitude.

يا نَديمي إِلى الكُؤو

يا نَديمي إِلى الكُؤو

س وَيا مِنشِدَ اِنشُدِ

س وَيا مِنشِدَ اِنشُدِ

O my drinking companion, to the cups!

Do not ask what season it is,

O cupbearer, to the cups!

And you, singer, sing!

Or when my birthday falls.

And O singer, sing on!

زِد لِيَ الشَمرَ كُلَّما

زِد لِيَ الشَمرَ كُلَّما

قُلتُ يا صاحِبي زِدِ

قُلتُ يا صاحِبي زِدِ

Give me more fennel whenever

I still have my youth,

Fill my cup again whenever

I say: My friend, more!

My glory, my power,

I say: "O my friend, give me more!"

لا تَقُل أَيُّ مَوسِمٍ

لا تَقُل أَيُّ مَوسِمٍ

ذا فَذا يَومُ مَولِدي

ذا فَذا يَومُ مَولِدي

Do not ask what occasion

My rashness, my passion.

Do not ask what occasion this is,

this is: this is my birthday.

Only she left me

For today is my birthday.

أَنا ما زِلتُ في الحَيا

أَنا ما زِلتُ في الحَيا

ةِ لي شَبابي وَسُؤدُدي

ةِ لي شَبابي وَسُؤدُدي

I am still alive;

Two nights before our tryst.

I am still alive,

I have my youth and my eminence,

She did not die, but went

Possessing my youth and my pride,

وَلُجَيني وَعَسجَدي

وَلُجَيني وَعَسجَدي

وَخِلالي وَمَحتَدي

وَخِلالي وَمَحتَدي

my silver and my gold,

Beyond my reach.

My silver and my gold,

my virtues and my lineage.

The plague of love is

My virtues and my lineage.

إِنَّما تِلكُ أَخلَفَت

إِنَّما تِلكُ أَخلَفَت

قَبلَ لَيلَينِ مَوعِدي

قَبلَ لَيلَينِ مَوعِدي

Only that woman failed to keep

It dwells in hearts and livers

But she broke the promise

her tryst with me two nights ago.

So it is like an unlasting fire,

Of our meeting two nights ago.

لَم تَمُت لا وَإِنَّما

لَم تَمُت لا وَإِنَّما

أَصبَحَت في سِوى يَدي

أَصبَحَت في سِوى يَدي

She did not die, no; she merely

In flimsy kindling.

She did not die, no,

came to be in another's hand.

But she has fallen into other hands.

آفَةُ الحُبِّ أَنَّهُ

آفَةُ الحُبِّ أَنَّهُ

في قُلوب وَأَكبُدِ

في قُلوب وَأَكبُدِ

Love's blight is that it dwells

The tragedy of love is that

in hearts and livers;

It dwells in hearts and souls,

فَهوَ كَالنارِ لَم تَدُم

فَهوَ كَالنارِ لَم تَدُم

في هَشيمٍ لِمَوقِدِ

في هَشيمٍ لِمَوقِدِ

so it is like fire that does not last

Like a fire that cannot last

in a hearth's dry kindling.

When fed only with dry straw.