مَحَلُّ اِبنِ رِزقٍ جَرَّ فيهِ ذُيولَهُ

مَحَلُّ اِبنِ رِزقٍ جَرَّ فيهِ ذُيولَهُ

مِنَ المُزنِ ساقٍ يُحسِنُ الجَرَّ وَالسُقيا

مِنَ المُزنِ ساقٍ يُحسِنُ الجَرَّ وَالسُقيا

At Ibn Rizq’s abode, he trailed his skirts—

The dwelling of Ibn Rizq's son dragged its skirts therein,

a cupbearer from the rain clouds, skilled in trailing and giving drink.

From al-Muzni, driving camels well, watering them.

ذَكَرتُ عَشِيّاً فيهِ لا ذُمَّ عَهدُهُ

ذَكَرتُ عَشِيّاً فيهِ لا ذُمَّ عَهدُهُ

وَإِن نَحنُ لَم نُمتَع بِبَهجَتِهِ لُقيا

وَإِن نَحنُ لَم نُمتَع بِبَهجَتِهِ لُقيا

I recalled an evening there—may its memory never be reviled—

I mentioned it one evening with no blame for its pact,

though we were not granted the pleasure of meeting in its splendor.

Though we were not delighted by its splendor when met.

وَلَم يَعتَلِق بي مِنكَ عِندَ اِفتِراقِنا

وَلَم يَعتَلِق بي مِنكَ عِندَ اِفتِراقِنا

سِوى عَبَقٍ مِن مِسك قَينَتِكَ اللَميا

سِوى عَبَقٍ مِن مِسك قَينَتِكَ اللَميا

And at our parting, nothing from you clung to me

And nothing clung to me from you when we parted,

save a lingering fragrance from your dark-lipped singing girl’s musk.

Except some musk perfume from your soft hand.

وَكُنتُ أراني في الكَرى وَكَأَنَّني

وَكُنتُ أراني في الكَرى وَكَأَنَّني

أُناوَلُ كَالدينارِ مِن ذَهَبِ الدُنيا

أُناوَلُ كَالدينارِ مِن ذَهَبِ الدُنيا

And I saw myself in sleep, as though I

I saw myself in dreams as if I was handing out

were being handed something like a dinar of this world’s gold.

Gold dinars from the wealth of worldly life.

فَلَمّا اِنطَوى ذاكَ الأَصيلُ وَحُسنُهُ

فَلَمّا اِنطَوى ذاكَ الأَصيلُ وَحُسنُهُ

عَلى ساعَةٍ مِن أُنسِنا صَحَّتِ الرُؤيا

عَلى ساعَةٍ مِن أُنسِنا صَحَّتِ الرُؤيا

So when that late afternoon and its beauty were folded

But when that lineage and its beauty wrapped

into an hour of our companionship, the dream proved true.

Around an hour of our company, the dream came true.