شكلانِ من راحٍ وروضةِ نَرجِسٍ

شكلانِ من راحٍ وروضةِ نَرجِسٍ

يَتَنَازَعَانِ الشِّبْهَ وَسْطَ المجلِسِ

يَتَنَازَعَانِ الشِّبْهَ وَسْطَ المجلِسِ

Two counterparts—wine and a garden of narcissus—

Two forms of comfort and a narcissus garden

Vie in likeness amid the gathering,

Competing in likeness amidst the assembly

مُتَبَاهِيَيْنِ تَلَوُّناً بِتَلَوُّنٍ

مُتَبَاهِيَيْنِ تَلَوُّناً بِتَلَوُّنٍ

متبارِيَيْنِ تنفُّساً بتنفسِ

متبارِيَيْنِ تنفُّساً بتنفسِ

Each flaunting color against color,

Vying in colors with every shade

Each vying, fragrant breath against fragrant breath.

Racing in breath with every breath

لكنَّ هَذِي بَيْنَ أحشاءِ الفتى

لكنَّ هَذِي بَيْنَ أحشاءِ الفتى

نارٌ وهَذَا جَنَّةٌ لِلأَنْفُسِ

نارٌ وهَذَا جَنَّةٌ لِلأَنْفُسِ

But this one, within the young man's entrails,

But this one amid the youth's bosom

Is fire, while that one is a paradise for souls.

Is fire while that one is paradise for the soul

فكأَنَّها من حَدِّ سيفِكَ تلْتظِي

فكأَنَّها من حَدِّ سيفِكَ تلْتظِي

وكأَنَّهُ من طِيبِ خُلْقِكَ يَكْتَسِي

وكأَنَّهُ من طِيبِ خُلْقِكَ يَكْتَسِي

So it is as though the wine blazes from the edge of your sword,

As though it glows from the edge of your sword

And as though the narcissus clothes itself in the sweetness of your character.

And as though it is clothed in the scent of your manners

يا مَنْ عَلا من رُتْبَةٍ فِي رُتْبَةٍ

يا مَنْ عَلا من رُتْبَةٍ فِي رُتْبَةٍ

حَتَّى غَدَا وَسْطَ النجومِ الخُنَّسِ

حَتَّى غَدَا وَسْطَ النجومِ الخُنَّسِ

O you who rose from rank to rank,

O you who ascended from one rank to another

Until you came to be among the receding stars;

Until you were amidst the hidden stars

وابْنَ الذينَ هُداهُمُ ونُهاهُمُ

وابْنَ الذينَ هُداهُمُ ونُهاهُمُ

أدبُ الملوكِ وأُسْوَةٌ للمؤْتَسِي

أدبُ الملوكِ وأُسْوَةٌ للمؤْتَسِي

And O son of those whose guidance and wisdom

Son of those whom ethics of kings guided

Are the schooling of kings and an example for those who follow.

And model for the adorned elite