يا خاطِبَ القَهوَةِ الصَهباءِ يَمهُرُها
بِالرَطلِ يَأخُذُ مِنها مِلأَهُ ذَهَبا
O suitor of the russet wine, offering her a dowry,
Who buys a measure by paying its full weight in gold,
قَصَّرتَ بِالراحِ فَاِحذَر أَن تُسَمِّعَها
فَيَحلِفَ الكَرمُ أَن لا يَحمِلَ العِنَبا
You have slighted the wine, so beware lest she hears you,
For then the vine would swear to never again bear grapes.
إِنّي بَذَلتُ لَها لَمّا بَصُرتُ بِها
صاعاً مِنَ الدُرِّ وَالياقوتِ ما ثُقِبا
I offered her, the moment I laid eyes upon her,
A measure of pearls and rubies that were never pierced.
فَاِستَوحَشَت وَبَكَت في الدَمنِ قائِلَةً
يا أُمُّ وَيحَكِ أَخشى النارَ وَاللَهَبا
She grew fearful and wept within her earthen jar, saying:
"O Mother, woe to you! I dread the fire and the flames."
فَقُلتُ لا تَحذَريهِ عِندَنا أَبَداً
قالَت وَلا الشَمسَ قُلتُ الحَرُّ قَد ذَهَبا
So I said: "Never fear that when you are with us."
She asked: "Nor the sun?" I replied: "The scorching heat has passed."
قالَت فَمَن خاطِبي هَذا فَقُلتُ أَنا
قالَت فَبَعلِيَ قُلتُ الماءُ إِن عَذُبا
She asked: "Then who is this suitor of mine?" I answered: "It is I."
She asked: "And who shall be my spouse?" I said: "Water, if it be sweet."
قالَت لِقاحي فَقُلتُ الثَلجُ أُبرِدُهُ
قالَت فَبَيتي فَما أَستَحسِنُ الخَشَبا
She asked: "What enriches me?" I said: "The ice with which I chill it."
She asked: "And my dwelling? For I find no beauty in wood."
قُلتُ القَنانِيَّ وَالأَقداحُ وَلَّدَها
فِرعَونُ قالَت لَقَد هَيَّجتَ لي طَرَبا
I said: "Glass flacons and goblets fashioned by..."
"...Pharaoh." She replied: "You have truly stirred my joy."
لا تُمكِنَنّي مِنَ العِربيدِ يَشرَبُني
وَلا اللَئيمِ الَّذي إِن شَمَّني قَطَبا
"Do not hand me over to the brawling drunkard to drink me,"
"Nor to the base wretch who scowls when he catches my scent,"
وَلا المَجوسِ فَإِنَّ النارَ رَبَّهُمُ
وَلا اليَهودِ وَلا مَن يَعبُدُ الصُلُبا
"Nor to the Magians, for Fire is their god,"
"Nor to the Jews, nor to those who worship the Cross,"
وَلا السَفالِ الَّذي لا يَستَفيقُ وَلا
غِرِّ الشَبابِ وَلا مَن يَجهَلُ الأَدَبا
"Nor to the degenerate who never sobers up, nor..."
"...the naive youth, nor one ignorant of refined manners."
وَلا الأَراذِلِ إِلّا مَن يُوَقِّرني
مِنَ السُقاةِ وَلَكِنِ اِسقِني العَرَبا
"Nor to the riffraff—save for him who holds me in awe"
"Among the cupbearers; but rather, serve me to the noble Arabs."
يا قَهوَةً حُرِّمَت إِلّا عَلى رَجُلٍ
أَثرى فَأَتلَفَ فيها المالَ وَالنَشَبا
O vintage forbidden to all but the man
Who possessed great wealth, yet squandered on her his fortune and estate.
