متَى تَنْشَطُ لِلأَكْلِ

متَى تَنْشَطُ لِلأَكْلِ

فَقَدْ أُصْلِحَتِ الجُونَهْ

فَقَدْ أُصْلِحَتِ الجُونَهْ

When will you feel ready to eat?

When will you be eager to eat

For the hamper has been readied,

For the table has been set

وَقَدْ زَيَّنَهَا الطَّاهِي

وَقَدْ زَيَّنَهَا الطَّاهِي

لَنَا أَحْسَنَ تَزْيِيْنَهْ

لَنَا أَحْسَنَ تَزْيِيْنَهْ

and the cook has adorned it

And the cook has adorned it

for us with the finest adornment,

He adorned it most beautifully

كَمَا زَيَّنَ صَوْبُ الغَيْ

كَمَا زَيَّنَ صَوْبُ الغَيْ

ثِ فِي الرَّوْضِ أَفَانِيْنَهْ

ثِ فِي الرَّوْضِ أَفَانِيْنَهْ

just as the pouring rain adorned

As he adorned the orchard branches

the garden's spreading branches.

With its blossoms

فَجَاءَتْ وَهْيَ مِنْ أَطْيَ

فَجَاءَتْ وَهْيَ مِنْ أَطْيَ

بِ مَا يُؤْكَلُ مَشْحُونَهْ

بِ مَا يُؤْكَلُ مَشْحُونَهْ

It came with the tastiest

So it came full

things to eat packed inside:

Of the most delicious foods

فَمِنْ جَدْيٍ شَوَيْنَاهُ

فَمِنْ جَدْيٍ شَوَيْنَاهُ

وَعَصَّبْنَا مَصَارِيْنَهْ

وَعَصَّبْنَا مَصَارِيْنَهْ

including a young goat we roasted,

Of lamb we grilled

and whose intestines we bound up;

And kneaded its dough

وَنَضَّدْنَا عَلَيْهِ نَعْ

وَنَضَّدْنَا عَلَيْهِ نَعْ

نَعَ البَقْلِ وَطَرْخُونَهْ

نَعَ البَقْلِ وَطَرْخُونَهْ

and we arranged upon it

We heaped vegetables upon it

the greens' mint and their tarragon;

Spinach and eggplant

وَفَرْخٍ وَافِرِ الزَّوْرِ

وَفَرْخٍ وَافِرِ الزَّوْرِ

أَحَدْنَا لَكَ تَسْمِيْنَهْ

أَحَدْنَا لَكَ تَسْمِيْنَهْ

and a plump-breasted chick,

And chicken, plump and fat

whose fattening we perfected for you;

We fattened for you

وَطَيْهُوجٍ وَفَرُّوجٍ

وَطَيْهُوجٍ وَفَرُّوجٍ

أَجَدْنَا لَكَ تَطْجِيْنَهْ

أَجَدْنَا لَكَ تَطْجِيْنَهْ

and a grouse and a young chicken,

And turkey and duck

which we expertly pan-cooked for you;

We stuffed for you

وَسَنْبُوسَجَةٍ مَقْلُوَّ

وَسَنْبُوسَجَةٍ مَقْلُوَّ

ةِ فِي إِثْرِ طَرْذِيْنَهْ

ةِ فِي إِثْرِ طَرْذِيْنَهْ

and a fried sambusak pastry,

And a casserole slowly cooked

following a tardhina dish;

Next to olives

وَحَمْرَاءَ مِنَ البَيْضِ

وَحَمْرَاءَ مِنَ البَيْضِ

إِلَى جَانِبِ زَيْتُونَهْ

إِلَى جَانِبِ زَيْتُونَهْ

and a red dish made of eggs,

And eggs colored red

beside an olive;

Next to onions

وَطَلْعٍ كَنِظَامِ الدُّرِّ

وَطَلْعٍ كَنِظَامِ الدُّرِّ

فِي الأَسْفَاطِ مَكْنُونَهْ

فِي الأَسْفَاطِ مَكْنُونَهْ

and palm blossoms, like strings of pearls,

And wraps of leafy greens

tucked away in baskets;

Cooked in water and oil

وَأَوْسَاطِ شَطِيْرَاتٍ

وَأَوْسَاطِ شَطِيْرَاتٍ

بِزَيْتِ المَاءِ مَدْهُونَهْ

بِزَيْتِ المَاءِ مَدْهُونَهْ

and the middles of small half-loaves,

That arouse the appetite

brushed with 'water-oil';

And stimulate hunger

يُوَلِّدْنَ لِذِي الشَّهْوَ

يُوَلِّدْنَ لِذِي الشَّهْوَ

ةِ جُوعَاً وَيُشَهِّيْنَهْ

ةِ جُوعَاً وَيُشَهِّيْنَهْ

they make anyone with an appetite

With a scent of ambergris dough

hungry, and whet his desire,

Mixed with grapes

بِعَرْفٍ كَكُسُورِ النَّدِّ

بِعَرْفٍ كَكُسُورِ النَّدِّ

بِالْعَنْبَرِ مَعْجُونَهْ

بِالْعَنْبَرِ مَعْجُونَهْ

with a fragrance like pieces of nadd incense

And soft cheese combined

kneaded with ambergris;

With the wraps

وَحَرِّيْفٍ مِنَ الجُبْنِ

وَحَرِّيْفٍ مِنَ الجُبْنِ

بِهِ الأَوْسَاطُ مَقْرُونَهْ

بِهِ الأَوْسَاطُ مَقْرُونَهْ

and a pungent cheese,

And a knife ready

paired with those middle pieces.

To slice and serve

وَقَدْ أَرْهَفَ لِلتَّقْطِيْ

وَقَدْ أَرْهَفَ لِلتَّقْطِيْ

عِ وَالتَّفْصِيْلِ سَكِّيْنَهْ

عِ وَالتَّفْصِيْلِ سَكِّيْنَهْ

And he has honed, for cutting

And vinegar now oozing out

and portioning, his knife.

As it steeps

وَخَلٍّ تَرْعُفُ الآنُ

وَخَلٍّ تَرْعُفُ الآنُ

فُ مِنْهُ وَهْيَ مَخْتُونَهْ

فُ مِنْهُ وَهْيَ مَخْتُونَهْ

And vinegar—noses bleed

And eggplant boiled

from it, though they are circumcised;

That your soul craves

وَبَاذِنْجَانِ بُورَانِ

وَبَاذِنْجَانِ بُورَانِ

بِهِ نَفْسُكَ مَفْتُونَهْ

بِهِ نَفْسُكَ مَفْتُونَهْ

and Buran-style eggplant,

And artichoke, I promise you

with which your soul is enamored;

You'll find its taste sweet

وَهِلْيَوْنٍ وَعَهْدِي بِ

وَهِلْيَوْنٍ وَعَهْدِي بِ

كَ تَسْتَعْذِبُ هِلْيُونَهْ

كَ تَسْتَعْذِبُ هِلْيُونَهْ

and asparagus—I know

And an almond pudding

you find its asparagus delicious;

With sugar buried in it

وَلَوْزِيْنَجَةٍ فِي الدُّهْ

وَلَوْزِيْنَجَةٍ فِي الدُّهْ

نِ والسُّكَّر مَدْفُونَهْ

نِ والسُّكَّر مَدْفُونَهْ

and a lawzinaj almond sweet, buried in fat

And for you I have a bowl

and sugar;

Of cooked rice

وَعِنْدِي لَكَ دَسْتِيْجَ

وَعِنْدِي لَكَ دَسْتِيْجَ

ةُ مَطْبُوخٍ وَقِنِّيْنَهْ

ةُ مَطْبُوخٍ وَقِنِّيْنَهْ

and I have for you a jar

With a shank bone that curves

of boiled wine, and a bottle;

With a bent nun

وَسَاقٍ وَعَدَتْ بِالْعَطْ

وَسَاقٍ وَعَدَتْ بِالْعَطْ

فِ عَنْهُ عَطْفَهُ النُّونَهْ

فِ عَنْهُ عَطْفَهُ النُّونَهْ

and a cupbearer—affection was promised

It has intense visions

on his behalf by his dimple's curve;

And its words gentle

لَهُ شِدَّةُ أَلْحَاظٍ

لَهُ شِدَّةُ أَلْحَاظٍ

وَفِي أَلْفَاظِهِ لِيْنَهْ

وَفِي أَلْفَاظِهِ لِيْنَهْ

his glances are fierce,

And a moon-like dessert that will sing to you

but his words are gentle;

Unalloyed

وَقُمْرِيُّ يُغَنِّيْكَ

وَقُمْرِيُّ يُغَنِّيْكَ

لُحُونَاً غَيْرَ مَلْحُونَهْ

لُحُونَاً غَيْرَ مَلْحُونَهْ

and a turtledove sings you

Oh you, who have shunned

melodies free of false notes.

The abode of the grieved

أَلاَ يَا مَنْ لِمَحْزُونٍ

أَلاَ يَا مَنْ لِمَحْزُونٍ

نَأَى عَنْ دَارِ مَحْزُونَهْ

نَأَى عَنْ دَارِ مَحْزُونَهْ

Ah, who will aid a sorrowful man

What is your excuse that

far from the home of his sorrowful one?

You are not seen intoxicated

فَمَا عُذْرُكَ فِي أَنْ لاَ

فَمَا عُذْرُكَ فِي أَنْ لاَ

تُرَى مِنْ سُكُرٍ طِيْنَهْ

تُرَى مِنْ سُكُرٍ طِيْنَهْ

So what excuse have you for not

being seen, drunk, as a lump of clay?