وقُلتُ لها بعَشيكِ ذٌقتِ راحاً

وقُلتُ لها بعَشيكِ ذٌقتِ راحاً

فقد شاهدتُ في جَفنيكِ سُكرا

فقد شاهدتُ في جَفنيكِ سُكرا

I said to her, “By your life, have you tasted wine?

I said to her, 'By your life, you have tasted wine,

For I have seen intoxication in your eyelids.”

for I have seen drunkenness in your eyelids.'

فولَّتْ وهيَ عابسةٌ وعادَتْ

فولَّتْ وهيَ عابسةٌ وعادَتْ

فقالت لا وعيشِكَ لم أذُقْ را

فقالت لا وعيشِكَ لم أذُقْ را

She turned away, frowning, then returned

So she turned away, frowning, and returned,

and said, “No—by your life, I have not tasted ‘rā.’”

then said, 'No, by your life, I have not tasted rā.'

فقلُتُ ولِمْ حذفتِ الحاءَ قالت

فقلُتُ ولِمْ حذفتِ الحاءَ قالت

أخافُ العَتْبَ إن أبديتُ عُذرا

أخافُ العَتْبَ إن أبديتُ عُذرا

I said, “Why did you drop the ḥāʾ?” She said,

I said, 'And why did you omit the ḥāʾ?' She said,

“I fear reproach if I reveal my excuse.”

'I fear reproach if I offer an excuse.'

فقلتُ وهل لمثلي العَتبُ قالت

فقلتُ وهل لمثلي العَتبُ قالت

أخافُ تَشَمُّ أنفاسي فتَبْرا

أخافُ تَشَمُّ أنفاسي فتَبْرا

I said, “Would one like me reproach you?” She said,

I said, 'Would someone like me reproach you?' She said,

“I fear you’ll smell my breath—and sober up.”

'I fear you will smell my breath and be cured.'