رقدتْ ولواحظ مُسْهِرِي

رقدتْ ولواحظ مُسْهِرِي

وصَحَتْ خلائقُ مُسْكِرِي

وصَحَتْ خلائقُ مُسْكِرِي

The glances of the one who keeps me awake fell asleep,

And the glances of the one who keeps me awake slept;

and the dispositions of my intoxicant grew sober.

and the traits of the one who intoxicates me grew sober.

والعينُ تَكْذِبُ إِذ يَبِيتُ

والعينُ تَكْذِبُ إِذ يَبِيتُ

خَيَالُه في مِحْجَرِي

خَيَالُه في مِحْجَرِي

The eye lies when his phantom spends the night

And the eye lies, when all night

in my eye socket.

his phantom dwells in my eye socket.

ولأَجْلِ ذاكَ حَدَدْتُهَا

ولأَجْلِ ذاكَ حَدَدْتُهَا

بالدَّمْع حَدَّ المُفْتَرِي

بالدَّمْع حَدَّ المُفْتَرِي

And for that I subjected it

And for that I punished it

to tears—the prescribed penalty for a false accuser.

with tears—the punishment of a slanderer.

ولقد سُقِيتُ وقد عَطِشْ

ولقد سُقِيتُ وقد عَطِشْ

تُ بجنَّةٍ وبكَوْثَرِ

تُ بجنَّةٍ وبكَوْثَرِ

Indeed, I was given drink even as I thirsted,

And I was indeed given drink, having grown thirsty,

from his garden and from my Kawthar.

with a garden and with Kawthar.

ولقد لهوت كما أرد

ولقد لهوت كما أرد

ت بعبلة وبعنتر

ت بعبلة وبعنتر

Indeed, I dallied just as I wished,

And indeed I took my pleasure as I wished,

with ʿAbla and with ʿAntar—

with Abla and with Antar:

بمُذكرٍ كمؤنثٍ

بمُذكرٍ كمؤنثٍ

ومؤنَّثٍ كمذكَّرِ

ومؤنَّثٍ كمذكَّرِ

with a male as though a female,

with a male like a female,

and a female as though a male.

and a female like a male.

عينايَ ذِي لِعمامَة

عينايَ ذِي لِعمامَة

ترنُو وتِلْك لمعْجَرِ

ترنُو وتِلْك لمعْجَرِ

My two eyes: this one, toward a turban,

My two eyes: this one toward a turban

gazes; that one, toward a woman’s head-wrap.

gazes, and that one toward a woman's head-wrap.