هنِيئا بأَمسِ الأمسِ إذ ضَاع لِي حَقِّي

هنِيئا بأَمسِ الأمسِ إذ ضَاع لِي حَقِّي

وقد نِلتَ ما قَد نِلتَ في قَصَبِ السَّبقِ

وقد نِلتَ ما قَد نِلتَ في قَصَبِ السَّبقِ

Congratulations on the day before yesterday, when my rightful due was lost,

Congratulations on yesterday's loss when my right was wasted

And you won what you won in taking the victor’s reed.

And you got what you got in the stalks of precedence

إذا مَا سقَى رَاحا وأردَف مِثلَها

إذا مَا سقَى رَاحا وأردَف مِثلَها

مِنَ اجفَانِه لَم تَدرِ أيَّهمَا يَسقِي

مِنَ اجفَانِه لَم تَدرِ أيَّهمَا يَسقِي

Whenever he serves wine and follows it with its like

If he waters once then repeats just like it

From his eyelids, you cannot tell which of the two gives drink.

From his eyelids you wouldn't know which one he waters

أُمَسِّحُ عَن أعطافِه بتَرفُّقٍ

أُمَسِّحُ عَن أعطافِه بتَرفُّقٍ

فَتفهَمُ ما أَنوِي وتشكُرُ لي رِفقِي

فَتفهَمُ ما أَنوِي وتشكُرُ لي رِفقِي

I gently stroke his flanks,

I gently wipe his shoulders with tenderness

So she understands what I intend and thanks me for my gentleness.

So you understand my intention and thank me for my gentleness

فيا هِرّةً ترنُو إلىَّ بنظرَةٍ

فيا هِرّةً ترنُو إلىَّ بنظرَةٍ

ونظرَتُها والهِ أغنَت عنِ النُّطقِ

ونظرَتُها والهِ أغنَت عنِ النُّطقِ

So, O she-cat, who gazes at me with a look,

Oh doe gazing at me with a glance

Her gaze—by God—made speech needless.

Her glance, by God, was eloquent without speech