بادِرْ بِلَهْوِكَ لَيْلَةً بَدْرِيَّةً

بادِرْ بِلَهْوِكَ لَيْلَةً بَدْرِيَّةً

وَاقْصُدْ بِما نَهْوَى بِرَغْمِ الْحُسَّدِ

وَاقْصُدْ بِما نَهْوَى بِرَغْمِ الْحُسَّدِ

Hasten to your revelry on a full-moon night,

Indulge in your leisure on a moonlit night

And pursue what we desire, in defiance of the envious.

And pursue what you desire despite the envious

وَمُرِ الْغَرِيرَ يُدِيرُ بِكْرَ سُلافَةٍ

وَمُرِ الْغَرِيرَ يُدِيرُ بِكْرَ سُلافَةٍ

لا تَسْمَعَنَّ لِعاذِلٍ وَمُفَنِّدِ

لا تَسْمَعَنَّ لِعاذِلٍ وَمُفَنِّدِ

And bid the guileless youth pass round virgin wine of the choicest kind;

Pass the wine cup that begins with pure wine

Never listen to a reproacher or a faultfinder.

Do not listen to the blamer and critic

يَهْتَزُّ فِي سُودِ الثِّيَابِ كَأَنَّهُ

يَهْتَزُّ فِي سُودِ الثِّيَابِ كَأَنَّهُ

بَدْرٌ تَجَلَّى مِنْ غَمامٍ أَسْوَدِ

بَدْرٌ تَجَلَّى مِنْ غَمامٍ أَسْوَدِ

He sways in black robes, as though he were

He sways in his black clothes as if

A full moon shining forth from a black cloud.

A moon has appeared from dark clouds

ما زِلْتُ أَسْحَرُهُ بِلَحْظٍ خاتِلٍ

ما زِلْتُ أَسْحَرُهُ بِلَحْظٍ خاتِلٍ

وَأَسُومُهُ الإِنْجازَ قَبْلَ الْمُوعِدِ

وَأَسُومُهُ الإِنْجازَ قَبْلَ الْمُوعِدِ

I kept enchanting him with a sly glance,

I continue to enchant him with a seducing glance

And pressed him to fulfill his promise before the appointed time,

And hasten our union before the appointed time

حَتَّى تَوَرَّدَ خَدُّهُ بِمُدَامَةِ

حَتَّى تَوَرَّدَ خَدُّهُ بِمُدَامَةِ

كالْمِسْكِ ذَاتِ تَوَقُّدٍ وَتَوَرُّدِ

كالْمِسْكِ ذَاتِ تَوَقُّدٍ وَتَوَرُّدِ

Until his cheek grew rosy with wine,

Until his cheek took on the redness

Like musk, aglow and rose-red.

Of scented musk with blushing and glow

وَتَبَيِّنَ الإِنْعامُ فِي أَلْحاظِهِ

وَتَبَيِّنَ الإِنْعامُ فِي أَلْحاظِهِ

مُتَقَرِّبَ بالألْفاظِ بَعْدَ تَبَعُّدِ

مُتَقَرِّبَ بالألْفاظِ بَعْدَ تَبَعُّدِ

And favor became apparent in his glances,

And the affection in his eyes becomes clear

Drawing close with words after keeping aloof,

Drawing nearer with words after aloofness

حَتَّى انْثَنَى فِي الأَرْضِ يَلْثِمُ خَدَّهُ

حَتَّى انْثَنَى فِي الأَرْضِ يَلْثِمُ خَدَّهُ

شَوْقاً إلى فَرْدِ الْمَلاَحَةِ أَوْحَدِ

شَوْقاً إلى فَرْدِ الْمَلاَحَةِ أَوْحَدِ

Until he bent down upon the earth, kissing his cheek,

Until he bowed down to the earth kissing his cheek

Longing for the sole, peerless paragon of beauty.

Yearning for the intimacy of being alone

يا لَيْلَةً كانَتْ لِدَهْرِي غَرَّةً

يا لَيْلَةً كانَتْ لِدَهْرِي غَرَّةً

طَلَعَتْ عَلَيَّ نُجُومُها بِالأَسْعُدِ

طَلَعَتْ عَلَيَّ نُجُومُها بِالأَسْعُدِ

O night that was a white blaze upon my life's brow,

O night that was for my life a foretaste

Its stars rose over me with the best of fortune.

Whose stars have risen upon me in great fortune