ثبت الفرح بمحو النّكد

ثبت الفرح بمحو النّكد

والجفا قد حال

والجفا قد حال

Joy took hold as misery was erased,

Joy prevails as sorrow fades away,

And estrangement has given way.

And hardship has passed.

ووفى الوقت بعيش رغد

ووفى الوقت بعيش رغد

فاغتنم ذا الحال

فاغتنم ذا الحال

And time has fulfilled its promise with a life of ease,

Time fulfills a life of ease,

So make the most of this moment.

So enjoy this state.

قُم إلى النُّدمان يابن الطرب

قُم إلى النُّدمان يابن الطرب

بالهنا لاقي

بالهنا لاقي

Rise and join the drinking companions, O son of revelry;

Rise to revelry, O son of joy,

With joy, receive

With a goblet I meet,

كأس بلّور مُلي من ذهب

كأس بلّور مُلي من ذهب

في يَدَي ساقي

في يَدَي ساقي

A crystal cup filled with gold,

A crystal cup filled with gold,

In a cupbearer's two hands.

In the hands of a pourer.

ما نلت خداً له ذا لهب

ما نلت خداً له ذا لهب

منه إحراقي

منه إحراقي

I have not won his cheek, aflame;

I gained no cheek with this flame,

From it comes my burning.

Burning me.

عابث بي ضلّ منه رشدي

عابث بي ضلّ منه رشدي

في الحشا لو مال

في الحشا لو مال

He toys with me; through him my reason would stray,

Playing with me, losing my reason

Were he to lean into my bosom.

In folly, if it lingered.

لو رأى سقماً ثوى في جسدي

لو رأى سقماً ثوى في جسدي

دائم الأوجال

دائم الأوجال

If only he saw the sickness lodged in my body—

If he saw disease dwelling in my body,

I am ever beset by fears.

Ever painful.

يا عذولي كفّ عن عذلي

يا عذولي كفّ عن عذلي

ودَع التعنيف

ودَع التعنيف

O my reproacher, cease reproaching me,

O my blamer, stop blaming me,

And leave off harsh rebukes.

And cease reproaching.

في غزالي ظلّ فيه غزلي

في غزالي ظلّ فيه غزلي

كامل التأليف

كامل التأليف

My love verse about my gazelle remains

In my gazelle his love remained,

Perfectly composed.

Perfectly composed.

تاه عني فتمادى أملي

تاه عني فتمادى أملي

منه في تسويف

منه في تسويف

He strayed from me, and my hope lingered,

Lost to me, my hope in him

In the delays that came from him.

Prolonged in procrastination.

رشا لكنه بالأسد

رشا لكنه بالأسد

لو سطا أو صال

لو سطا أو صال

A fawn, yet lion-like,

Wilful, but with the lion,

Should he strike or charge.

If he attacked or withdrew.

ظلّ من سطوته في كمد

ظلّ من سطوته في كمد

يقطع الأوصال

يقطع الأوصال

One remains in anguish from his assault,

In his power's shadow a bundle,

An anguish that rends the limbs.

Severing limbs.

كم تثنّى فثنى بالهَيَف

كم تثنّى فثنى بالهَيَف

نحوه الأرواح

نحوه الأرواح

How often he swayed and, with his slender grace, bent

How it bent, and towards it,

Souls toward him.

The souls bent.

ورنا فانتصبت كالهدف

ورنا فانتصبت كالهدف

إن غدا أو راح

إن غدا أو راح

And he gazed, and I stood upright like a target,

It cried, and like the target stood,

Whether he went forth by morning or evening.

If tomorrow, or went.

لم يكن يألف إلا تَلَفي

لم يكن يألف إلا تَلَفي

وله أرتاح

وله أرتاح

He was fond of nothing but my ruin,

It was not accustomed but to my ruins,

Yet in him I find comfort.

And in it I rested.

مال عني فتولّى جَلَدي

مال عني فتولّى جَلَدي

ليته لي مال

ليته لي مال

He turned from me, and my fortitude departed;

It turned from me, wearing my hide,

If only he would turn toward me!

If only it turned to me.

ودعته لم يدع لي بيدي

ودعته لم يدع لي بيدي

مهجة أو مال

مهجة أو مال

I bade him farewell; he left nothing in my hand—

I called it, it did not leave for me in my hands,

Neither lifeblood nor wealth.

Affection or wealth.