مثّلته المنى فظلّ نديمي

مثّلته المنى فظلّ نديمي

فتنعمتُ قاهراً للنعيمِ

فتنعمتُ قاهراً للنعيمِ

Longing conjured him before me, and he remained my companion;

Wishes conjured him, so he remained my boon companion.

My hopes embodied him, so he remained my boon companion.

I reveled, surpassing bliss itself.

So I reveled, a conqueror of bliss.

I reveled, conquering delight.

ثم مُكْنتُ منه حتى أُناجي

ثم مُكْنتُ منه حتى أُناجي

ه بسرّي وسرّه المكتومِ

ه بسرّي وسرّه المكتومِ

Then I was granted such intimacy with him that I could whisper

Then I was granted access to him, so I could whisper to

Then I confided in him until I conversed

to him my secret, and his own secret kept hidden.

him of my secret and his concealed secret.

With him about my secret and his hidden mystery.

ظِلتُ أسقيه ثم اشرب من في

ظِلتُ أسقيه ثم اشرب من في

ه رضاب المعتق المختومِ

ه رضاب المعتق المختومِ

I kept giving him drink, then drank from his

I kept giving him drink, then drank from his mouth

I went on watering him, then drank from his

mouth the nectar of sealed, well-aged wine—

the nectar of aged, sealed wine.

Sealed and stamped wineskin.

وأغنية ثم أسمع منه

وأغنية ثم أسمع منه

ونديم فديته من نديمِ

ونديم فديته من نديمِ

and then a song I heard from him,

And then I hear a song from him.

And a song, then I heard from him

and what a companion—may I be his ransom!—what a companion.

And a boon companion—may I be his ransom! What a companion!

A boon companion I ransomed with a boon companion.