ساعٍ بِكَأسٍ إِلى ناشٍ عَلى طَرَبي
كِلاهُما عَجَبٌ في مَنظَرٍ عَجَبِ
A courier with a cup, moving toward a youth, amidst my delight,
Both are a marvel within a marvelous sight;
قامَت تُريني وَأَمرُ اللَيلِ مُجتَمِعٌ
صُبحاً تَوَلَّدَ بَينَ الماءِ وَالعِنَبِ
She stood to show me—while the night was fully gathered—
A dawn born between the water and the grape.
كَأَنَّ صُغرى وَكُبرى مِن فَواقِعِها
حَصباءُ دُرَّ عَلى أَرضٍ مِنَ الذَهَبِ
As if the small and large ones among its bubbles
Were pebbles of pearl upon a floor of gold.
كَأَنَّ تُركاً صُفوفاً في جَوانِبِها
تُواتِرُ الرَميَ بِالنُشّابِ مِن كَثَبِ
As if Turks, lined up in rows along its sides,
Were unleashing volleys of arrows from close range.
مِن كَفِّ ساقِيَةٍ ناهيكَ ساقِيَةً
في حُسنِ قَدٍّ وَفي ظُرفٍ وَفي أَدَبِ
From the hand of a cupbearer—and what a cupbearer she is!—
In beauty of stature, in charm, and in refinement.
كانَت لِرَبِّ قِيانٍ ذي مُغالَبَةٍ
بِالكَشخِ مُحتَرِفٍ بِالكَشخِ مُكتَسِبِ
She belonged to a master of singing-girls, a domineering man,
A professional in pimping, gaining his livelihood through pimping.
فَقَد رَأَت وَوَعَت عَنهُنَّ وَاِختَلَفَت
ما بَينَهُنَّ وَمَن يَهوَينَ بِالكُتُبِ
She had observed and learned from them, and shuttled back and forth,
Between them and those they loved, carrying letters.
حَتّى إِذا ما غَلى ماءُ الشَبابِ بِها
وَأُفعِمَت في تَمامِ الجِسمِ وَالقَصَبِ
Until, when the water of youth boiled within her,
And she filled out in the perfection of her body and limbs,
وَجُمِّشَت بِخَفِيِّ اللَحظِ فَاِنجَمَشَت
وَجَرَّتِ الوَعدَ بَينَ الصِدقِ وَالكَذِبِ
And she was courted with furtive glances, and she responded,
And she dragged out her promise, hovering between truth and lies.
تَمَّت فَلَم يَرَ إِنسانٌ لَها شَبَهاً
فيمَن بَرى اللَهُ مِن عُجمٍ وَمِن عَرَبِ
She became perfect, so that no human has seen her equal
Among those God created, whether foreigner or Arab.
تِلكَ الَّتي لَو خَلَت مِن عَينِ قَيِّمِها
لَم أَقضِ مِنها وَلا مِن حُبِّها أَرَبي
That is the one who, if she were free from her guardian's eye,
I would never satisfy my need of her, nor of her love.
