1. ايّها الساقي ومن خمر اللمى

    نشوتي فآذهبْ ببنت العنَبِ

    O cupbearer—and from the wine of dusky lips

    Comes my intoxication—take away the daughter of the grape.

  2. أين هذا الخمر من ذاك الرضاب

    وهو عذب للمعنىّ وعَذاب

    What is this wine beside that sweet saliva?

    It is sweet to the love-tormented, and torment too.

  3. فآسقنيها من ثناياها العَذاب

    وآطفِ فيها من فؤادي الضرما

    Then give me a draught of it from her sweet front teeth.

    And with it quench the blaze within my heart.

  4. واقض هذا اليوم فيها أرَبي

    قد فديتُ الغيد لماَّ ان بدتْ

    And fulfill my desire in her today.

    I gave myself as ransom for the graceful maidens when they appeared.

  5. ولها الاغصان طوعا سجدت

    وبها الاقمار في الليل آهتدت

    And the boughs bowed willingly before her.

    And by her the moons found their way at night.

  6. مثل ما عادَ نهاري مُظلِما

    من أثيث الجعد يالِلعَجَبِ

    Just as my daylight turned dark

    From her luxuriant curls—how wondrous!

  7. تعقد الزنار في حلّ العهود

    مذ ارتهم حسن هاتيك النهود

    She ties the girdle as she unties pledges,

    Since she showed them the beauty of those breasts.

  8. ولها الاصنام قد خرْت سجود

    مثل ما فيها عبدتُ الصنَما

    And the idols fell prostrate before her,

    Just as I worshipped the idol in her.

  9. وهواها اليوم امسى مذهبي

    نسج الحسن لها برد الدلال

    And love for her has become my creed today.

    Beauty wove for her a mantle of coquetry,

  10. فبدتْ تختال في عزّ الجمال

    غار منها الغصن اذ مالتْ فمال

    And she appeared, swaying proudly in beauty's splendor.

    The bough envied her as she swayed, and swayed in turn.

  11. وقلوب الناس أمست حُوَّما

    فوق خدّيها وفيها الأشنَبِ

    And people's hearts began to hover

    Above her cheeks and her fresh, white-toothed mouth.

  12. مالتِ النفس اليها فلستْ

    مَنْ به للنوم عيناي قَلتْ

    My soul inclined toward her, so I am not [wording unclear]

    The one for whose sake my eyes shunned sleep.

  13. وكؤوس الموت فيها قد حلتْ

    وعليه لم ازلْ ابكي دَما

    And in her the cups of death grew sweet,

    And for him I have never ceased weeping blood,

  14. وهو لاهٍ لم يزل باللعَبِ

    فآسعديني ياابنة الدوح فقدْ

    While he remains heedless, always at play.

    So comfort me, O daughter of the grove, for

  15. قطع الصد لأحشائي وقَدْ

    ولهيبُ الشوق في قلبي إتٌقَدْ

    Rejection has torn at my entrails, and

    The flame of longing has blazed within my heart.

  16. وجفون العين تحكي الدِيَما

    وهي لم تطمع بطفو اللهَبِ

    And my eyelids mimic steady rain,

    Yet they have no hope of quenching the flame.

  17. ياحمام الدوح بالله أعدْ

    سجعك اليوم لصبّ وأجد

    O dove of the grove, by God, repeat

    Your cooing today for a lovesick one, and do it well.

  18. ان تكن مثلي مهجوراً فزدْ

    رّبما يطفي غليلي رّبما

    If you are forsaken like me, then increase it.

    Perhaps it will quench my burning thirst—perhaps—

  19. سجعك اليوم بلحن مُطرِبِ

    ياحمام أنَّ في وادي العقيقْ

    Your cooing today in an enrapturing tune.

    O dove, moan in the valley of al-Aqiq.

  20. لا ارى لي غيرك اليوم صديقْ

    فمتى من سكرة الحب تَفيقْ

    Today I see no friend but you.

    When, then, will you awaken from love's intoxication?

  21. والى ما فيه تخشى اللُّوَّما

    وتراعي نظرة المرتَقِبِ

    And how long in it will you fear the reproachers

    And heed the watcher's glance?

  22. ياحمامٌ لم ترعْه بالفراق

    جيرةٌ تعقد بالهجر النطاق

    O dove, you have not been frightened with parting

    By neighbors who gird themselves with abandonment.

  23. انت والغصن بضمّ وعناق

    وبأسر الريم اصبحت وَما

    You and the bough are clasped in an embrace,

    And I have become the gazelle's captive, while no

  24. دفعت عني سرايا العَربِ

    Squadrons of the Arabs have defended me.