ولَيلَةٍand a night عَنبَريَّةِambergris-scented الأُفُقِthe horizon
ولَيلَةٍ عَنبَريَّةِ الأُفُقِ
رَوَيتُI recounted فيهاin it السُّرورَdelight منthrough طُرُقِchannels
رَوَيتُ فيها السُّرورَ من طُرُقِ
And a night with an ambergris-scented horizon,
On an amber night of horizons
in which I recounted delight through many channels.
I quenched my joy along its paths
وكنتُand I was حَرّانَburning with thirst فاقتدحتُso I kindled بهاin it
وكنتُ حَرّانَ فاقتدحتُ بها
ناراًa fire منfrom الرَّاحِwine بَرَّدَتcooled حُرَقِيmy burning pains
ناراً من الرَّاحِ بَرَّدَت حُرَقِي
And I was burning with thirst, so in it I kindled
And I, so ardent, kindled with it
a fire of wine that cooled my burning pains.
A fire from the wind that soothed my burns
حَلَّتshe alighted بِناamong us عاطِلاًunadorned وقدthough already لَبستshe had donned
حَلَّت بِنا عاطِلاً وقد لَبست
غِلالَةًa sheer robe فُصّلَتwas tailored منfrom الحَدَقِthe eyes
غِلالَةً فُصّلَت من الحَدَقِ
She alighted among us unadorned, though she had donned
It came upon us in leisure, having worn
a sheer robe tailored from eyes.
A transparent garment, peeled from the pupils
فجاءَهاthen he came to her الدَّهرُTime منfrom among بنيهِhis sons هوىًout of love
فجاءَها الدَّهرُ من بنيهِ هوىً
بِفتيَةٍwith young men كالصَّباحِlike morning فيin نَسَقِordered array
بِفتيَةٍ كالصَّباحِ في نَسَقِ
Then Time, out of love, brought her from among his sons
So time brought it, from among its loved ones, a love
young men like morning, in ordered array.
With youths like the morning in alignment
قامتstood in لناfor us فيin المقَامِthe gathering أوجُههُمtheir faces
قامت لنا في المقَامِ أوجُههُم
ورَاحُهمand their wine بالنُّجومِas the stars والشَّفَقِand twilight
ورَاحُهم بالنُّجومِ والشَّفَقِ
Their faces served us in that gathering—
Their faces stood for us in grace
with their wine—as stars and twilight.
Their scent with the stars and the sunset glow
وأطلعَand brought forth البدرُthe full moon منfrom ذُرَاthe heights غُصنٍa bough
وأطلعَ البدرُ من ذُرَا غُصنٍ
تَهفُوflutter عَليهover it القُلوبُthe hearts كالوَرقِlike leaves
تَهفُو عَليه القُلوبُ كالوَرقِ
And he brought forth the full moon from a bough's heights,
The moon rose from the bending of a branch
over which hearts flutter like leaves.
Upon which hearts flutter like leaves
منfrom عبدʿAbd (servant) شَمسٍShams (sun) بداappeared سناهُhis radiance وهلand is ...?
من عبد شَمسٍ بدا سناهُ وهل
ذاthis البَدرُthe full moon إلَّاexcept لِذلكbelonging to that الأُفُقِhorizon
ذا البَدرُ إلَّا لِذلك الأُفُقِ
From ʿAbd Shams his radiance appeared; and is
A sun worshipper appeared, his years showing
this full moon anything but that horizon's?
Is this moon not for that horizon?
مَدَّhe held out بحمراءَwith red wine منfrom مُدامتِهِhis aged wine
مَدَّ بحمراءَ من مُدامتِهِ
بَيضاءwhite كفّاًa hand مسكيةmusky العَبَقِfragrance
بَيضاء كفّاً مسكية العَبَقِ
He held out, bearing red wine from his vintage,
He extended from his cheek's redness
a white hand, musky in fragrance.
A white palm, musk-scented and fragrant
فخلتهاso I fancied it وردةًa rose منعمةًdelicate
فخلتها وردةً منعمةً
تحملis carried منof سوسَنٍlilies علىon طَبقِa platter
تحمل من سوسَنٍ على طَبقِ
So I fancied it a delicate rose,
I left it a moistened rose
borne on a platter of lilies.
Bearing lilies on a platter
يَشرَبُhe drinks بالرَّاحِwith the wine حينwhen أُشرِبَهاhe was given it to drink
يَشرَبُ بالرَّاحِ حين أُشرِبَها
ماwhat غادَرَتleft behind مُقلَتاهُhis two eyes منof رَمَقِa remnant of life
ما غادَرَت مُقلَتاهُ من رَمَقِ
He drinks up, with the wine, when given it to drink,
Drinking the wind when I drink it
what little life his two eyes have left.
What life remains in its lashes from vigor
Sol 6.1