أَهدى نَسيمُ الصَباحِ

نَسيمَ مِسكٍ وَعَنبَر

The morning breeze brought

A breeze of musk and ambergris

يَحُثُّها خَندَريسا

مِن خَدِّ ساقيها تُعصَر

Stirred by a lute

Squeezed from the cheek of its pourer

اليَومُ يَومٌ أَغَرُّ

كَما تَراهُ طَليق

Today is an intoxicating day

As you see it free

زَهرٌ وَظِلٌّ وَنَهرُ

وَشادِنٌ وَرَحيق

A flower, shade and a river

Mead and wine dregs

وَذَيلُ سُكرٍ يُجَرُّ

وَمُنتَشٍ لا يُفيق

And a tail of drunkenness dragged

By one who won't awaken

زَمانُهُ في اِصطِباحِ

إِذا أَفاقَ تَذَكَّر

Its time in the morning

When it awakens, it remembers

فَقالَ هاتِ الكُؤوسا

واِشرَب وَدَع مَن تَعَذَّر

So it says, bring the cups

Drink and leave whoever apologized

كَم ذا تَكَتَّمَ وَجدا

أَذابَ قَلبي زَفيرُه

How much hidden ecstasy

Melted my heart with its sigh

مِن شادِنٍ لَو تَبَدّى

لِلبَدرِ أَظلَمَ نورُه

If it appeared from the wine

Its light would darken the moon

مَن بِالنُفوسِ يُفَدّى

أَنا المُعَنّى أَسيرُه

It ransoms souls

I am its captive

يَفري الحَشا بِاِلتِماحِ

مِن طَرفِ وَسِنانَ أَحوَر

The gazelle frolics with a side glance

From the edge of curved white teeth

ناهيكَ عِلقاً نَفيسا

في مِثلِهِ الصَبُّ يُعذَر

Not to mention a refined doe

For whom wine is an excuse

مُنَعَّمُ القَدِّ لَدنُ

كَالغُصنِ في عَليائِهِ

Smooth of body

Like a branch in its loftiness

وَهيَ الكَواكِبُ تَعنو

لِحُسنِهِ وَبَهائِهِ

And the stars swoon

For his beauty and brilliance

وَكُلُّ قَلبٍ يَحِنُّ

إِلَيهِ شَوقَ لِقائِهِ

And every heart yearns

For him, longing for his presence

مُطاوِعٌ ذو جِماحِ

يَهوى الوِصالَ وَيَحذَر

Obedient, with beautiful wings

It desires union and is wary

لِذاكَ عِرضاً دَنيساً

وَلَيسَ يَهوى لِمُنكَر

Of a despicable offer

It does not desire the forbidden

موسى حَوَيتَ الجَمالا

وَعِفَّةً في طِباعِك

Musa, you encompass beauty

And chastity in your nature

لَم تَرضَ إِلّا الحَلالا

غُذيتَهُ في رِضاعِك

You would not accept but the lawful

You were nourished by it in your infancy

وَقَد أَمَلتَ الرِجالا

نِهايَةً بِاِصطِناعِك

You have hoped for men

The utmost in your making

فَاِلبَس رِداءَ اِمتِداحِ

وَجَرِّرِ الذَيلَ وَاِفخَر

So wear the garment of praise

And drag your train and boast

فَلَن يَزالَ حَبيسا

يُطوى عَلَيكَ وَيُنشَر

For it will remain a prisoner

Folded over you and spread out

لَمّا اِستَقامَ قَضيباً

وَكادَ يَنقَدُّ مَيلا

When it stood up straight as a rod

And nearly poured inclination

وَمَرَّ خِشفاً رَبيبا

وَزادَ حُسناً وَطَولا

And passed by throbbing

And increased in beauty and height

ما شاءَ قُمتُ خَطيبا

فَقُلتُ وَالحَقُّ أَولى

Whatever you desire, I stood up as an eulogizer

And said, and truth is most deserving