سقاني مريرَ الكأس حلوُ المباسمِ

سقاني مريرَ الكأس حلوُ المباسمِ

وغادَرَني محلولَ عَقد العزائم

وغادَرَني محلولَ عَقد العزائم

He of the sweet lips made me drink the bitter cup,

He gave me the bitter cup with a sweet smile,

and left me with the knot of resolve undone.

And left me perplexed, my resolutions dissolved.

وحارَبني بالصَّدِّ والصّدُّ قاتلي

وحارَبني بالصَّدِّ والصّدُّ قاتلي

فيا ليته لا كانَ إلاَّ مسالمي

فيا ليته لا كانَ إلاَّ مسالمي

He warred against me with rejection—and rejection is my slayer.

He fought me with rejection - and rejection kills me!

Oh, would that he were nothing but at peace with me.

Oh, if only he had been peaceful with me.

ومنذُ أطعتُ الحبّ فيه صبابة

ومنذُ أطعتُ الحبّ فيه صبابة

عَصَيْتُ عذولي في هواه ولائمي

عَصَيْتُ عذولي في هواه ولائمي

Ever since I obeyed love for him, out of ardent longing,

Since I obeyed love through him while still a youth,

I have defied my censor and my blamer in loving him.

I disobeyed my own wisdom for his love and reproaches.

وقد عَلِمَ الواشونَ إذ ذاك أنَّني

وقد عَلِمَ الواشونَ إذ ذاك أنَّني

بلاني وأَبلاني الغرام بجاسم

بلاني وأَبلاني الغرام بجاسم

And then the tale-bearers knew that

And the spies knew, back then, that I

passionate love had afflicted me and worn me down with something grievous.

Was tested and tested by passionate love for Jasim.

نَعِمْتُ به أيَّام وصلٍ تَصَرَّمَتْ

نَعِمْتُ به أيَّام وصلٍ تَصَرَّمَتْ

ونحنُ لدى خفضٍ من العيش ناعم

ونحنُ لدى خفضٍ من العيش ناعم

I delighted in him through days of union now gone,

I enjoyed days of union that have now crumbled away,

while we lived amid life’s gentle ease.

While we remain in a gentle life of lowered standards.

يُديرُ عليَّ الكأسَ يمزج صرفها

يُديرُ عليَّ الكأسَ يمزج صرفها

نديمي على كأس الطّلا ومنادمي

نديمي على كأس الطّلا ومنادمي

He would pass me the cup, mixing its pure wine—

My drinking companion pours the wine for me and mixes its pureness -

my intimate over the wine cup, my drinking companion,

On a cup of drinking and friendship.

ألذّ من الماء النَّمير لشاربٍ

ألذّ من الماء النَّمير لشاربٍ

وأَلطَفُ خلقاً من هبوب النَّسائم

وأَلطَفُ خلقاً من هبوب النَّسائم

sweeter to the drinker than fresh, sweet water,

Sweeter than fresh water for the drinker,

and gentler in nature than the wafting breezes.

And gentler in creation than the blowing of breezes.

لقد مرَّ ما أحلاه عيشٌ بقربه

لقد مرَّ ما أحلاه عيشٌ بقربه

فهل كانَ ذاك العيش أحلام نائم

فهل كانَ ذاك العيش أحلام نائم

That life beside him has passed—how sweet it was!

What his company made sweet in life has passed -

Could that life have been a sleeper’s dreams?

Was that life just the dreams of one sleeping?

ذكرتُ قضيب البان وهو قوامه

ذكرتُ قضيب البان وهو قوامه

فنُحتُ عليه فوقَ نَوْح الحمائم

فنُحتُ عليه فوقَ نَوْح الحمائم

I remembered the supple bough of the bān tree—such was his figure—

I remembered the switch of a myrtle whose stature it matched -

and lamented for him beyond the lamenting of doves.

So I carved on it, over the moan of doves.

وما كنتُ لولا طاعة الحبّ في الهوى

وما كنتُ لولا طاعة الحبّ في الهوى

ألائم في العشَّاق غير ملائم

ألائم في العشَّاق غير ملائم

Were it not that I obey love in passion, I would never

And I would not, were it not for obedience to love's passion,

among lovers seek accord with one who will not accord.

Blame the lovers for what does not conform.