صَدُّ الحَبيبِ وَذاكَ دونَ فِراقِهِ

صَدُّ الحَبيبِ وَذاكَ دونَ فِراقِهِ

وَمَنِ الَّذي يَبقى عَلى ميثاقِهِ

وَمَنِ الَّذي يَبقى عَلى ميثاقِهِ

The beloved has turned away—yet that is not quite parting from him.

The beloved turns away—yet that is less than parting from him.

And who is there who remains true to his covenant?

And who remains true to his pledge?

رَشَأٌ أَغارَ عَلَيهِ مِن أَجفانِهِ

رَشَأٌ أَغارَ عَلَيهِ مِن أَجفانِهِ

وَأَظُنُّها لِلسَقَمِ مِن عُشّاقِهِ

وَأَظُنُّها لِلسَقَمِ مِن عُشّاقِهِ

A young gazelle—I am jealous for him even of his own eyelids,

A young gazelle—I am jealous over him even of his own eyelids;

and fancy that, in their languor, they too are among his lovers.

And, from their languor, I think them among his lovers.

وَأَقولُ مِن سُكري بِخَمرَةِ ثَغرِهِ

وَأَقولُ مِن سُكري بِخَمرَةِ ثَغرِهِ

وَيَدي تُلِمُّ بِحَلِّ عَقدِ نِطاقِهِ

وَيَدي تُلِمُّ بِحَلِّ عَقدِ نِطاقِهِ

Drunk on the wine of his mouth, I say,

And I say, drunk on the wine of his mouth,

while my hand gathers the jeweled knot of his sash:

While my hand reaches to undo the knot of his girdle:

يا ساقِيَ الصَهباءِ صَرفاً لا تَجُر

يا ساقِيَ الصَهباءِ صَرفاً لا تَجُر

وَمَزجُ لَنا الصَهباءَ مِن دِرياقِهِ

وَمَزجُ لَنا الصَهباءَ مِن دِرياقِهِ

O pourer of pure red wine, do not wrong us;

O cupbearer of unmixed tawny wine, do not be unjust,

and mix for us the red wine with some of his antidote.

And mix the wine for us with some of his antidote.

جَلَّ الَّذي أَعطاهُ في الحُسنِ المُنى

جَلَّ الَّذي أَعطاهُ في الحُسنِ المُنى

وَأَضافَ خِلقَتَهُ إِلى أَخلاقِهِ

وَأَضافَ خِلقَتَهُ إِلى أَخلاقِهِ

Glorious is He who granted him all one could desire in beauty,

Exalted is He who granted him all wished-for beauty,

and joined the beauty of his form to the beauty of his character—

And joined his outward form to his character.

كَالغُصنِ في حَرَكاتِهِ وَالظَبيُ في

كَالغُصنِ في حَرَكاتِهِ وَالظَبيُ في

لَفتاتِهِ وَالبَدرِ في إِشراقِهِ

لَفتاتِهِ وَالبَدرِ في إِشراقِهِ

like a bough in his movements, like a dune in

Like a bough in his movements, and a gazelle in

his turnings, and like the full moon in his radiance.

his glances, and the full moon in his radiance.

قَد ذُبتُ مِن شَوقي إِلَيهِ صَبابَةً

قَد ذُبتُ مِن شَوقي إِلَيهِ صَبابَةً

وَكَذا المُحِبُّ يَذوبُ مِن أَشواقِهِ

وَكَذا المُحِبُّ يَذوبُ مِن أَشواقِهِ

I have melted from longing for him, consumed by passion;

I have melted with passionate longing for him;

and so the lover melts from his yearnings.

And so the lover melts from his longings.