وَصَفراء أَو حَمراء فَهيَ مُخيلَةٌ

وَصَفراء أَو حَمراء فَهيَ مُخيلَةٌ

لِرِقَّتِها الا عَلى المتوهِّمِ

لِرِقَّتِها الا عَلى المتوهِّمِ

And yellow or red, she is an illusion,

Yellow or red, it is imagined

because of her delicacy—except to the one who imagines.

For its delicacy, not on the fanciful

تُشَكِّلكُنا في الكَرم اِنَّ اِنتِماءِه

تُشَكِّلكُنا في الكَرم اِنَّ اِنتِماءِه

إِلى الخَمر أَم هاتا إِلى الكَرم تَنتَمي

إِلى الخَمر أَم هاتا إِلى الكَرم تَنتَمي

She makes us wonder about the vine: whether its descent

We liken you to generosity, that belonging

is from wine, or this wine descends from the vine.

To wine, or is this belonging to generosity?

تَمَتَّعَ نَدمانٌ بِها وَأَحبَّةٌ

تَمَتَّعَ نَدمانٌ بِها وَأَحبَّةٌ

وَحظّيَ مِنها أَن أَقول أَلا انعمي

وَحظّيَ مِنها أَن أَقول أَلا انعمي

A drinking companion and dear friends took pleasure in her;

A critic enjoyed it, and loved ones

and my share of her is to say, 'Ah, be happy!'

And I was fortunate to say, O be generous!

لَكِ الوَصفُ دون القَصفِ مِنّي فَخَيِّمي

لَكِ الوَصفُ دون القَصفِ مِنّي فَخَيِّمي

بِغَير يَدي وَاِرضَي بِما قالَهُ فَمي

بِغَير يَدي وَاِرضَي بِما قالَهُ فَمي

From me you have description, not revelry; so pitch your tent

For you is description without harvesting from me, so be generous

somewhere other than my hand, and be content with what my mouth has said.

Without my hand, and be content with what his mouth has said