وزائرٍ زارَ وَقَدْ تَعَطَّرا

وزائرٍ زارَ وَقَدْ تَعَطَّرا

أسَرّ شُهْداً وأَذَاعَ عَنْبَرَا

أسَرّ شُهْداً وأَذَاعَ عَنْبَرَا

And a visitor came, already perfumed,

A visitor came, and he was scented

He concealed honey and diffused ambergris;

With honey he enchanted, and amber he lent

واستكْثَرَتْ منه اللّهاةُ سُكَّرَا

واستكْثَرَتْ منه اللّهاةُ سُكَّرَا

يَنْفُثُ في الآنُفِ مِسْكاً أذْفَرَا

يَنْفُثُ في الآنُفِ مِسْكاً أذْفَرَا

And the palate drew abundant sugar from him.

The swooning maids indulged themselves in his sugar

He breathes pungent musk into the nostrils,

He breathes musk into noses, generous without rigor

مُلتحِفاً للحرّ ثَوْباً أَصْفَرا

مُلتحِفاً للحرّ ثَوْباً أَصْفَرا

مُعَمّداً مِنَ الحرِيْرِ أخْضَرا

مُعَمّداً مِنَ الحرِيْرِ أخْضَرا

Wrapped against the heat in a yellow robe,

Wrapped in yellow for the heat, a cloak light as a feather

Striped with green silk.

Dyed with green silk, nothing better, he's dressed to impress all together

يَظُنُّه الناظِرُ إنْ تَقَرَّرا

يَظُنُّه الناظِرُ إنْ تَقَرَّرا

دَبّ الدَّبَى بِمَتْنِهِ فأثّرَا

دَبّ الدَّبَى بِمَتْنِهِ فأثّرَا

The observer, if he looks closely, thinks

Those who see him, if he pauses, think him a vision they can treasure

Young locusts crawled over his back and left their marks.

Dew drops glistened on his coat, glittering like facets cut and beveled

أبا عليٍّ فاحْضُرْنَهُ كيْ تَرى

أبا عليٍّ فاحْضُرْنَهُ كيْ تَرى

واكْتُبْ عليّ إنْ كذبْتُ مَحْضَرَا

واكْتُبْ عليّ إنْ كذبْتُ مَحْضَرَا

O Abu Ali, do come to him, so you may see,

Oh Abu Ali, summon him, for you to meet this marvel

And draw up a record against me if I have lied.

And write to me, if I have lied, with witnesses assembled