نَاوَلتني العُنّاب أنْمُلُ خَوْد

نَاوَلتني العُنّاب أنْمُلُ خَوْد

خَضَبَتْها بِحُمْرَة العُنّابِ

خَضَبَتْها بِحُمْرَة العُنّابِ

A young beauty’s fingertips handed me jujubes;

The fingers of the grape-vine offered me

she had dyed them jujube-red.

Stained with the redness of the grapes

فتحيّرْتُ فِيهما ثم أهوَي

فتحيّرْتُ فِيهما ثم أهوَي

ت بِحُكمِ الهَوى لذاتِ الخِضابِ

ت بِحُكمِ الهَوى لذاتِ الخِضابِ

So I was bewildered between the two, then reached

So I wavered between them then inclined

at love’s command, for the one adorned with dye.

By the rule of passion towards the redness

صَبْوَةٌ لا أميلُ إلا إِليها

صَبْوَةٌ لا أميلُ إلا إِليها

رُبّ طَبْعٍ يكونُ طوْعَ التَصابي

رُبّ طَبْعٍ يكونُ طوْعَ التَصابي

A youthful passion, to which alone I incline—

An inclination I cannot but lean towards

many a nature yields to youthful dalliance.

Many a nature yields to forced acquaintance