أَلا خُذها كَمِصباحِ الظَلامِ

سَليلَةَ أَسوَدٍ جَعدٍ سُخامِ

Oh take it like a lamp in the darkness

Come, take it—like a lamp amidst the gloom,

A smooth-skinned, curly-haired, jet-black beauty

The daughter of a vine, black, curled, and deep as soot,

مُعَتَّقَةً كَما أَوفى لِنوحٍ

سِوى خَمسينَ عاماً أَلفُ عامِ

As virtuous as Noah's ark itself

An ancient vintage, enduring as the span of Noah,

Fifty thousand years, less just fifty years

A thousand years, save fifty, in its count.

أَقامَت في الدِنانِ ولَم تَضِرها

وَلَكِن زانَها طولُ المُقامِ

In the flasks it stayed, yet was not harmed

She dwelled within clay casks, unharmed by time,

Only improved by the years confined

Nay, long confinement only graced her form.

أُشَبِّهُها وَقَد صُفَّت صُفوفاً

بِأَشياخٍ مُعَمَّمَةٍ قِيامِ

It stands in rows, like old men in turbans

I liken the jars, when ranged in ordered rows,

As raindrops beat down on their heads year after year

To turbanned elders standing in solemn prayer.

يَشُجُّ القَطرُ أَرأُسَها وَتَسفي

عَلَيها الريحُ عاماً بَعدَ عامِ

It came forth smooth and beautiful as tears

The rain strikes down upon their heads, and winds

Like drops of dew on translucent marble

Blow dust upon them, passing year on year.

فَجاءَت كَالدُموعِ صَفاً وَحُسناً

كَقَطرِ الطَلِّ في صافي الرُخامِ

A gentle Magus accessed it, untainted

She emerged like falling tears in purity and grace,

By deceit or impurities, pristine

As dewdrops glistening on polished marble stone.

أُتيحَ لَها مَجوسِيٌّ رَقيقٌ

نَقِيَّ الجَيبِ مِن غِشٍّ وَذامِ

He let it flow softly from a wineskin

A gentle Magian was destined for her care,

And the darkness eagerly came to it

With unsoiled conscience, free of fraud and blame.

فَسَيَّلَها بِرِفقٍ مِن بِزالٍ

فَسالَ إِلَيهِ عَيّوقُ الظَلامِ

He brought it out well-aged after years

He poured her gently from the vessel’s mouth,

Of postponing the final seal's stamp

And lo, the bright Star of the Dark flowed out to him.

وَأَبرَزَها وَقَد بَطِرَت وَصارَت

شَمولاً مِن مُماطَلَةِ الجِمامِ

You see the beads as they hang suspended

He unveiled her, exuberant and changed,

Like pearls perfectly strung on a necklace

A chilled draught, weary of its long repose.

تَرى فيها الحَبابَ وَقَد تَدَلّى

كَمِثلِ الدُرِّ سُلَّ مِنَ النِظامِ

Our bottle's like a regal bird with chicks

You see the bubbles floating in the glass,

Two jewels of pearl and priceless gems

Like scattered pearls unstrung from their cord.

تَرى إِبريقَنا كَالطَيرِ سامٍ

لَهُ فَرخانِ مِن دُرٍّ وَسامِ

When it pecks a chick of bright metal

Behold our pitcher, craning like a bird,

You see it glitter amidst the rest

With two small fledglings made of silver sheen.

إِذا ما زَقَّ فَرخاً مِن سُلافٍ

تَراهُ دامِياً مِن بَينِ دامِ

So take it if you want a life of joy

And when it feeds a chick the purest draught,

Do not forsake it for mere raisin wine

You see it bleeding red amidst the red.

فَخُذها إِن أَرَدتَ لَذيذَ عَيشٍ

وَلا تَعدِل خَليلِيَ بِالمُدامِ

And if they say it's sin, say sin it is!

So seize the cup if you desire life’s sweet delight,

But sweetest pleasure lies in the forbidden

And place no equal, friend, beside the wine.

وَإِن قالوا حَرامٌ قُل حَرامٌ

وَلَكِنَّ اللَذاذَةُ في الحَرامِ

And take from the palm of a young lass in summer

And if they cry 'Forbidden!' say: 'Forbidden, yes,'

With soft skin and sweet mumbled words

'But truly, pleasure lies in what is banned.'

وَخُذ مِن كَفِّ جارِيَةٍ وَصيفٍ

رَخيمَ الدَلِّ مَلثوغَ الكَلامِ

She has a feminine form but then between

And take it from a servant maiden's hand,

You glimpse the traits of masculine youth

Soft in her coquetry, with lisping speech,

لَها شَكلُ الإِناثِ وَبَينَ بَينَ

تَرى فيها تَكاريهَ الغُلامِ

So she frowns her brows for a moment or two

She bears a female form, yet in between,

Then bends gently as blades of grass

You find the sullen traits of a young boy.

فَأَحياناً تُقَطِّبُ حاجِبَيها

وَأَحياناً تَثَنّى كَالحُسامِ

Sing if she excites you, my soul's ransom!

For at times she knits her brows in frowning scorn,

For the times have adorned you in sleep

And at times she sways, graceful as a sword.

وَغَنِّ إِذا طَرِبتَ فَدَتكَ نَفسي

وَقَد كَحَلَتكَ أَسبابُ المَنامِ

Greet the beloved with peace!

And sing when joy overtakes you—my soul your ransom be!—

And if she cannot bear to reply

When sleep’s soft hand has kohled your weary eyes.

أَلا حَيِّ الحَبيبَةَ بِالسَلامِ

وَإِن هِيَ لَم تُطِق رَجعَ الكَلامِ

Oh, greet the beloved with a word of peace,

Even if she cannot answer you a word.