كَأَنَّ مَدامَةً مِن خَمرِ دَنٍّ

كَأَنَّ مَدامَةً مِن خَمرِ دَنٍّ

تُصَبُّ عَلى ثَناياها طُروقا

تُصَبُّ عَلى ثَناياها طُروقا

As though aged wine from a wine jar

As if a goblet of mellow wine

Were poured over her front teeth by night.

pours its drafts on her flexions,

أَلَذُّ الناسِ في الدُنيا حَديثاً

أَلَذُّ الناسِ في الدُنيا حَديثاً

وَأَطيَبُهُ بُعَيدَ النَومِ ريقا

وَأَطيَبُهُ بُعَيدَ النَومِ ريقا

She is the most delightful of people in this world in conversation,

The sweetest of people in talk

And the sweetest of them in saliva just after sleep.

and most pleasing on waking from sleep,

جُعِلتُ لَكِ الفِداءَ مِنَ المَنايا

جُعِلتُ لَكِ الفِداءَ مِنَ المَنايا

وَإِن كَلَّفتِني ما لَن أُطيقا

وَإِن كَلَّفتِني ما لَن أُطيقا

May I be your ransom from death,

I am made your ransom from death

And even if you burden me with what I cannot bear.

though you charge what I cannot pay.