لُذseek refuge بالغرامِin passion وَلذّةِand the delight of الأشواقِlongings
لُذ بالغرامِ وَلذّةِ الأشواقِ
وَاِختَرand choose فَناءكyour annihilation فيin الجمالِbeauty الباقيenduring
وَاِختَر فَناءك في الجمالِ الباقي
Seek refuge in passion and the delight of longing.
Delight in passion and in yearning’s joy,
And choose your annihilation in enduring beauty.
And choose to perish in eternal beauty.
وَاِخلَعand cast off سُلوكyour indifference to love فهوfor it is ثوبٌa robe مخلقٌthreadbare
وَاِخلَع سُلوك فهو ثوبٌ مخلقٌ
وَاِلبسَand put on جديدَnew مكارمِnoble qualities of الأخلاقِcharacter
وَاِلبسَ جديدَ مكارمِ الأخلاقِ
And cast off your indifference, for it is a threadbare robe.
Cast off morals, for they’re a tattered robe,
And don the fresh robe of noble character.
And wear the new, with virtues for your dress.
وَتوقّand protect yourself مِنfrom نارِthe fire of الصدودrejection بشربةٍwith a draught
وَتوقّ مِن نارِ الصدود بشربةٍ
مِنof ماءِthe water of دمعكَyour tears فهوَfor it is نعمَexcellent الواقيthe protector
مِن ماءِ دمعكَ فهوَ نعمَ الواقي
And shield yourself from rejection's fire with a draught
When fiery pride denies you, take a draught
Of the water of your tears, for it is an excellent shield.
Of your own tears—no finer drink than this.
وَإِذاand when دَعاكَcalls you إلىto الصباyouthful passion نفسُthe breath of الصباthe east wind
وَإِذا دَعاكَ إلى الصبا نفسُ الصبا
فَأجِبthen answer رَسولَthe messenger of نسيمهِits breeze الخفّاقِfluttering
فَأجِب رَسولَ نسيمهِ الخفّاقِ
And when the east wind's breath calls you to youthful passion,
If youth calls out to you, then heed its call,
Then answer the messenger of its fluttering breeze.
Respond and with the scented breeze go dance.
وَإِذاand when شربتَyou drink الصرفَthe unmixed wine مِنof خمرِthe wine of الهوىlove
وَإِذا شربتَ الصرفَ مِن خمرِ الهوى
إِيّاكَbeware تغفَلyou are heedless عَنof جمالِthe beauty of الساقيthe cupbearer
إِيّاكَ تغفَل عَن جمالِ الساقي
And when you drink the wine of love unmixed,
If you have sipped the wine of loving’s cup
Beware of overlooking the cupbearer's beauty.
Beware forgetfulness of the cupbearer.
وَاِلقَand meet الأحبّةthe beloved ones إِنif أردتَyou desire وِصالهمunion with them
وَاِلقَ الأحبّة إِن أردتَ وِصالهم
مُتلذّذاًtaking pleasure بالذلِّin abasement وَالإملاقِand poverty
مُتلذّذاً بالذلِّ وَالإملاقِ
And meet the beloved ones, if you desire union with them,
Go humbly to your loved ones, if you’d reach them,
Taking pleasure in abasement and poverty.
Delighting in such sweet humility.
أَوَليسand is it not مِنamong أحلىthe sweetest المطاعمِfoods فيin الهوىlove
أَوَليس مِن أحلى المطاعمِ في الهوى
عزُّthe glory of الحبيبِthe beloved وذلّةand the abasement of العشّاقِthe lovers
عزُّ الحبيبِ وذلّة العشّاقِ
And are these not among love's sweetest morsels:
For is not the beloved’s pride, which you serve,
The beloved's glory and the lovers' abasement?
The noblest feast for lovers, base and high?
Sol 6.1