أُحِبُّI love الغِناءَsinging وَشُربَand drinking الطِلاءِwine from boiled grape juice
أُحِبُّ الغِناءَ وَشُربَ الطِلاءِ
وَأُنسَand companionship with النِساءِwomen وَرَبَّby the Lord of السُوَرthe Quran's chapters
وَأُنسَ النِساءِ وَرَبَّ السُوَر
I love singing and drinking wine,
I love singing, sipping wine
And women's company—by the Lord of the surahs—
And chatting with beautiful ladies into the night
وَدَلَّand the coquetry of الغَوانيbeautiful women وَعَزفَand the music-making of القِيانِthe singing slave girls
وَدَلَّ الغَواني وَعَزفَ القِيانِ
بِصَنجٍwith a cymbal يَمانٍYemeni قُبَيلَjust before السَحَرdawn
بِصَنجٍ يَمانٍ قُبَيلَ السَحَر
And the coquetry of beauties and the music of singing slave girls,
As the singing girls play their tunes
With a Yemeni cymbal, just before dawn.
On Yemeni lutes before dawn has broken
فَأَمّاso as for الصَباحَthe morning فَهَمّيthen my concern القِداحُthe gambling arrows
فَأَمّا الصَباحَ فَهَمّي القِداحُ
وَخَيلٌand horses شَواحٍwide-striding جِيادٌfine حُضُرswift
وَخَيلٌ شَواحٍ جِيادٌ حُضُر
As for morning, my concern is the gambling arrows,
When morning comes I revel in tilting goblets
And wide-striding horses, fine and fleet.
And racing on nimble steeds
وَنِصفَand at the middle of النَهارِthe day عِراكُgrappling with الجَوارِthe slave girls
وَنِصفَ النَهارِ عِراكُ الجَوارِ
وَحَلُّand loosening الإِزارِthe waistcloth إِذاwhen تَنبَهِرshe grows breathless
وَحَلُّ الإِزارِ إِذا تَنبَهِر
And at midday, grappling with the slave girls,
At noon we spar at jousting
And loosening the waistcloth when she grows breathless.
Girding up our robes when stirred
فَأَمّاso as for العَشِيَّthe late afternoon فَأَمرٌthen a matter جَلِيٌّplain
فَأَمّا العَشِيَّ فَأَمرٌ جَلِيٌّ
وَقَتلُand slaying الكَمِيِّthe armored warrior بِعَضبٍwith a keen sword ذَكَرhard-steeled
وَقَتلُ الكَمِيِّ بِعَضبٍ ذَكَر
As for late afternoon, the matter is plain:
When evening falls more pleasures unfold
And slaying the armored warrior with a keen, hard-steeled sword.
As I slay the enemy with remembered glories
سَبَتنيcaptivated me البَغومُthe soft-voiced woman بِدَلِّwith coquetry رَخيمٍgentle
سَبَتني البَغومُ بِدَلِّ رَخيمٍ
وَوَجهٍand a face نَضيرٍradiant شَبيهِresembling القَمَرthe moon
وَوَجهٍ نَضيرٍ شَبيهِ القَمَر
The soft-voiced one has captivated me with gentle coquetry,
Ensorcelled am I by a beauty's visage
And a radiant face resembling the moon,
Like the moon's disk shining bright
وَرِدفٍand buttocks نَبيلٍample وَخَدٍّand a cheek أَسيلٍsmooth
وَرِدفٍ نَبيلٍ وَخَدٍّ أَسيلٍ
كَسَيفٍlike a sword صَقيلٍpolished يُحيرُdazzles البَصَرthe eye
كَسَيفٍ صَقيلٍ يُحيرُ البَصَر
And ample buttocks and a smooth cheek,
With noble steed and cheeks so fair
Like a polished sword that dazzles the eye.
As polished sword perplexing sight
Sol 6.1