سَقاني مِن مُعَتَّقَةِ الدِنانِ

سَقاني مِن مُعَتَّقَةِ الدِنانِ

مَليحُ الدَلِّ مُختَضِبُ البَنانِ

مَليحُ الدَلِّ مُختَضِبُ البَنانِ

He gave me wine aged in jars—

He gave me drink from a preserved wine

charming in his coquetry, his fingertips henna-stained.

Of beautiful ruby color and delicate bouquet

وَهَبتُ لِوَجهِهِ أَلحاظَ عَيني

وَهَبتُ لِوَجهِهِ أَلحاظَ عَيني

بِلا خَوفٍ لِأَولادِ الزَواني

بِلا خَوفٍ لِأَولادِ الزَواني

I bestowed my eye's glances on his face,

I freely gazed upon his face

without fear of the sons of whores.

Without fear of the spies

وَفَرَّغَ حُسنَهُ مِن كُلِّ عَيبٍ

وَفَرَّغَ حُسنَهُ مِن كُلِّ عَيبٍ

وَجَلَّ عَنِ المُشاكِلِ وَالمُداني

وَجَلَّ عَنِ المُشاكِلِ وَالمُداني

And he freed his beauty from every flaw,

His beauty was free of every blemish

and rose above any equal or near-equal.

And far above subtleties and blame

فَجاءَ كَما تَمَنّى كُلُّ نَفسٍ

فَجاءَ كَما تَمَنّى كُلُّ نَفسٍ

لَهُ بِدَعٌ دَقيقاتُ المَعاني

لَهُ بِدَعٌ دَقيقاتُ المَعاني

So he appeared as every soul desired;

He came as every soul had wished

he has wonders of subtle meaning.

Articulate in the finest meanings

وَحَمَّلَ كَفَّهُ كَأساً تَلَظّى

وَحَمَّلَ كَفَّهُ كَأساً تَلَظّى

بِنارٍ لا تُقَنَّعُ بِالدُخانِ

بِنارٍ لا تُقَنَّعُ بِالدُخانِ

And he placed in his palm a cup ablaze

And took in his palm a goblet flaming

with a fire not veiled by smoke.

With fire not quenched by smoke

فَلَمّا صَبَّ فيها الماءَ ثارَت

فَلَمّا صَبَّ فيها الماءَ ثارَت

كَما ثارَ الشُجاعُ إِلى الجَبانِ

كَما ثارَ الشُجاعُ إِلى الجَبانِ

Then, when he poured water into it, it surged,

When he poured water in it, it seethed

like a brave man charging at a coward.

As the valiant charge the craven

فَخِلتُ الكَأسَ مَركَزَ أُقحُوانٍ

فَخِلتُ الكَأسَ مَركَزَ أُقحُوانٍ

وَتُربَتُهُ سَحيقُ الزَعفَرانِ

وَتُربَتُهُ سَحيقُ الزَعفَرانِ

So I fancied the cup a bed of daisies,

I saw the goblet was a focus of suns

and its soil was powdered saffron.

Its dust pure saffron