وَكَأسٍ كَريقِ الإِلفِ شَعشَعتُها بِهِ

وَكَأسٍ كَريقِ الإِلفِ شَعشَعتُها بِهِ

وَعيشي مِن هَذا الشَّراب المُشَعشَعِ

وَعيشي مِن هَذا الشَّراب المُشَعشَعِ

And many a cup like the beloved’s saliva I diluted with it;

With a cup like a flood of intimacy its radiance overwhelmed me,

and my life comes from this diluted wine,

And my life from this radiant drink,

عَلى رَوضَةٍ قامَت لَنا بدرانكٍ

عَلى رَوضَةٍ قامَت لَنا بدرانكٍ

وَقامَ لَنا فيها الذُّبابُ بِمُسمعِ

وَقامَ لَنا فيها الذُّبابُ بِمُسمعِ

in a meadow that served us as a darānik,

In a garden established for us by your full moons,

and in it the flies served as our singer.

And in it the flies buzzed around attentively,

إِذا ما شَرِبنا كَأسَنا صُبَّ فَضلُها

إِذا ما شَرِبنا كَأسَنا صُبَّ فَضلُها

عَلى رَوضِنا للمسمع المُتَخَلَّعِ

عَلى رَوضِنا للمسمع المُتَخَلَّعِ

Whenever we drank our cup, its remainder was poured

When we drink our cup, its excess overflows

onto our meadow for the swaying singer.

Onto our garden for the broken-off listener,

كَأَنَّ السَّحابَ الجَونَ أَعرسَ بِالثّرى

كَأَنَّ السَّحابَ الجَونَ أَعرسَ بِالثّرى

فَلاحَ شَوارُ الأَرضِ في كُلِّ مَوضِعِ

فَلاحَ شَوارُ الأَرضِ في كُلِّ مَوضِعِ

As though the dark clouds had married the moist earth,

As if the rain clouds married the ground

so the earth’s bridal finery shone everywhere.

And the land's flowers bloomed in every place,

رِياضٌ يُضاحِكنَ الغَزالةَ بَعدَما

رِياضٌ يُضاحِكنَ الغَزالةَ بَعدَما

بَكَت فَوقَها عَينُ السَّماءِ بِأَربَعِ

بَكَت فَوقَها عَينُ السَّماءِ بِأَربَعِ

Gardens exchange smiles with the sun, after

Gardens that make the gazelles laugh after

the eye of heaven had wept copiously above them.

The eye of the sky cried over them with clouds,

كَأَنَّ سُرورَ الأَرضِ حُزنُ سَحابِها

كَأَنَّ سُرورَ الأَرضِ حُزنُ سَحابِها

إِذا ما بَكَت لاحَت لَنا في تَصَنُّعِ

إِذا ما بَكَت لاحَت لَنا في تَصَنُّعِ

As though the earth’s joy were the sorrow of its clouds:

As if the land's joy is the grief of its clouds

whenever they weep, the earth appears to us artfully adorned.

When it cries, it smiles at us with affectation,

حَبائبُ لا يَسمَحنَ إِلا بِلَحظَةٍ

حَبائبُ لا يَسمَحنَ إِلا بِلَحظَةٍ

وَشَمَّةِ أَنفٍ لِلمُحِبِّ المُمَتَّعِ

وَشَمَّةِ أَنفٍ لِلمُحِبِّ المُمَتَّعِ

Beloveds who grant only a glance

Beloved ones who allow nothing but a glance

and a whiff for the delighted lover’s nose.

And a breath's sniff for the impassioned lover,

بَدائِعُ ما أَهدى الوَزيرُ بنانَهُ

بَدائِعُ ما أَهدى الوَزيرُ بنانَهُ

إِلى صَكِّهِ إِلا أَتانا بِأَبدَعِ

إِلى صَكِّهِ إِلا أَتانا بِأَبدَعِ

Marvels—never does the vizier guide his fingertips

Marvels is what the vizier Ibnanah gifted

to his writ without bringing us something more marvelous.

To his authority, only he brought us the most wondrous,

فَفي كَفِّهِ خَمسٌ تُعادِلُ خَمسَةً

فَفي كَفِّهِ خَمسٌ تُعادِلُ خَمسَةً

كَأَنَّ امرأً مِنهم عَلى كُلِّ إِصبَعِ

كَأَنَّ امرأً مِنهم عَلى كُلِّ إِصبَعِ

For in his palm are five fingers that equal five men,

For in his hand were five that equaled five,

as though one of them were upon each finger:

As if each finger had a man upon it,

إِياساً وَبسطاماً وَحاتِمَ طيئٍ

إِياساً وَبسطاماً وَحاتِمَ طيئٍ

وَأَحنَفَ عِندَ الحِلم وَاِبنَ المُقَفَّعِ

وَأَحنَفَ عِندَ الحِلم وَاِبنَ المُقَفَّعِ

Iyas and Bistam and Hatim of Tayy,

Aiyas, Bustam, Hatim al-Tai,

and Ahnaf in forbearance, and Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ.

Ahnaf in wisdom, and Ibn al-Muqaffa',