بروحي التي ضنَّت علينا بريقها

بروحي التي ضنَّت علينا بريقها

وقالت على غير اللمى ما لنا حرصُ

وقالت على غير اللمى ما لنا حرصُ

My soul be the ransom of her who begrudged us her saliva,

With my soul that was stingy with her radiance toward us

And she said, "We have no desire for anything but dark lips."

And said, regarding other than the beloveds, we have no care

ولما تعاطينا الكؤوس تكرمت

ولما تعاطينا الكؤوس تكرمت

علي بكاس في حشاشتها نقص

علي بكاس في حشاشتها نقص

And when we shared the cups, she generously gave

And when we took up the cups, she was generous

Me a cup with something missing from its core.

To me with a cup whose top was chipped

فبتنا وبات الحجل يرقص فوقنا

فبتنا وبات الحجل يرقص فوقنا

ولولا انتقاص الكاس ما حسن الرقص

ولولا انتقاص الكاس ما حسن الرقص

So we spent the night, and the anklet danced above us;

So we spent the night, and the Pleiades danced above us

And but for the cup's diminution, the dance would not have been lovely.

And were it not for the cup's chip, the dance would not have been so fine

فلا تحسب التقوى بأني سلوتها

فلا تحسب التقوى بأني سلوتها

ففي القلب من شوقي لخلخالها قرص

ففي القلب من شوقي لخلخالها قرص

So do not credit me with piety, thinking I have ceased longing for her;

So do not reckon devotion that I asked her for calm

For my longing for her anklet gives my heart a pang.

For in my heart from longing for her ankle bracelet is a sting