سقاني في دجى الليل الصباحا

سقاني في دجى الليل الصباحا

غلامٌ يفضل الخود الرداحا

غلامٌ يفضل الخود الرداحا

In night's deep dark he gave me dawn to drink—

He gave me dawn to drink in the darkness of night—

a youth outshining the full-bosomed maid.

A youth surpassing the full-hipped maiden.

رآه البدر أبهى منه وجهاً

رآه البدر أبهى منه وجهاً

فحول طرفه حسداً وراحا

فحول طرفه حسداً وراحا

The full moon saw his face more radiant than its own,

The full moon saw him, more radiant of face than itself,

then turned its gaze away in envy and departed.

So it turned its gaze away in envy and departed.

أرى وجناته فتفيض نوراً

أرى وجناته فتفيض نوراً

فأحسب أنها ملئت جراحا

فأحسب أنها ملئت جراحا

I see his cheeks spilling light,

I see his cheeks, and they overflow with light,

and fancy they are filled with wounds.

So I think they have been filled with wounds.

إذا هزت معاطفه الحميا

إذا هزت معاطفه الحميا

وثقت بأنها هزت رماحا

وثقت بأنها هزت رماحا

When wine's fire sways his supple frame,

When strong wine makes his body's curves sway,

I know that it has brandished spears.

I am certain it has set spears swaying.

رماني بالصبابة واستراحا

رماني بالصبابة واستراحا

وعلمني التدله والنواحا

وعلمني التدله والنواحا

He struck me with love's fever and took his ease,

He struck me with longing and took his ease,

and taught me love-madness and lament.

And taught me love's madness and lamentation.

وأصماني بسودٍ فاتراتٍ

وأصماني بسودٍ فاتراتٍ

مراض تفضل البيض الصحاحا

مراض تفضل البيض الصحاحا

He dealt me death with languid dark eyes—

And slew me outright with dark, languid eyes,

ailing eyes that outdo flawless white blades.

Ailing, yet surpassing sound, white blades.

رأيت الصبح بين ذوابتيه

رأيت الصبح بين ذوابتيه

وفي فيه الشقائق والأقاحا

وفي فيه الشقائق والأقاحا

I saw the dawn between his two dark locks,

I saw dawn between his two tresses,

and in his mouth, anemones and daisies.

And in his mouth were anemones and daisies.

فقلت حلا الصبوح فمر عني

فقلت حلا الصبوح فمر عني

فلم أر بعد ما ولى صباحا

فلم أر بعد ما ولى صباحا

I cried, “How sweet the morning draught!” He passed me by,

So I said, 'Sweet is the morning draught!' Then he left me,

and after he had gone, I saw no dawn.

So after he had turned away, I saw no dawn.

وديني لو خلوت به لصارت

وديني لو خلوت به لصارت

يدي لقناة قامته وشاحا

يدي لقناة قامته وشاحا

By my faith, had I been alone with him,

By my faith, were I alone with him,

my hand would gird his lance-like form, a sash.

My hand would become a sash around his spear-like frame.

وخالفتُ العفاف وإن نهاني

وخالفتُ العفاف وإن نهاني

صلاحي فيه خالفت الصلاحا

صلاحي فيه خالفت الصلاحا

I would have flouted chastity, though my own

And I would defy chastity; even if I were forbidden

virtue forbade me—for him, flouted virtue.

By my virtue, for his sake I would defy virtue.

ولكني سأحنث في يميني

ولكني سأحنث في يميني

مخافة حاكم يأبى الطلاحا

مخافة حاكم يأبى الطلاحا

Yet I shall break the oath that I have sworn,

But I shall break my oath,

in fear of a ruler who will not abide the wicked—

For fear of a judge who rejects wickedness:

منيبٍ كلما تعبت يداه

منيبٍ كلما تعبت يداه

لخير الدين والدنيا استراحا

لخير الدين والدنيا استراحا

a man turning devoutly to God: whenever his hands grow weary,

Munib, who, whenever his hands grew weary

he finds repose in serving faith and worldly good.

Working for the good of faith and worldly life, would take his rest.

ويسبق جوده لمؤمليه ال

ويسبق جوده لمؤمليه ال

رياح الهوج والجرد القداحا

رياح الهوج والجرد القداحا

His bounty, bound for those who hope in him, outstrips the

And his bounty, for those who hope in him, outruns the

raging winds and sleek, arrow-swift steeds.

Raging winds and the lean, spark-striking steeds.

حكت حسناته الشمس انبساطاً

حكت حسناته الشمس انبساطاً

فأصبحت الأكف لها بطاحا

فأصبحت الأكف لها بطاحا

His virtues rival the sun in spreading far and wide,

His good deeds mirrored the sun in their spread,

so palms spread out before them, broad as plains.

So palms became broad plains for them.

ومدت بالدعاء له الأيادي

ومدت بالدعاء له الأيادي

فأمَّن بلبل التقوى وصاحا

فأمَّن بلبل التقوى وصاحا

Hands rise in prayer for him,

And hands were stretched out in prayer for him,

and the nightingale of piety cries “Amen!” and sings.

So the nightingale of piety said 'Amen' and called out.

فلا رد الإله لها دعاءً

فلا رد الإله لها دعاءً

ولا قص الزمان له جناحا

ولا قص الزمان له جناحا

May God never turn their prayer away,

So may God reject no prayer of theirs,

nor time ever clip his wing.

Nor may Time clip his wing.