ولمّا تفاوضنا الحديثَ عشيةً

ولمّا تفاوضنا الحديثَ عشيةً

ومالَتْ بعطْفَيْهِ المُدامةُ فاسْتَعفى

ومالَتْ بعطْفَيْهِ المُدامةُ فاسْتَعفى

And when we conversed one evening,

When we conversed one evening,

And wine made his body sway, he asked to be excused.

and the wine-cup passed gently between us,

وضعت له كفي فوسَّد نُغْنُغاً

وضعت له كفي فوسَّد نُغْنُغاً

تناهَتْ به مائيةُ الحُسْنِ واستكفى

تناهَتْ به مائيةُ الحُسْنِ واستكفى

I laid out my palm for him, and he pillowed his soft throat upon it;

I laid my palm beneath his head as a pillow,

Beauty’s liquid radiance reached its height there, and he was content.

till the beauty of his cheek outshone the cup and needed no more.

وكنت أراعيه بحظي تَسَرُّقاً

وكنت أراعيه بحظي تَسَرُّقاً

فملكتُ طَرْفي منه من بعد ما أغْفى

فملكتُ طَرْفي منه من بعد ما أغْفى

And I watched him furtively, taking my share;

I watched him furtively, delighting in my luck,

So, after he dozed off, I was free to gaze upon him.

and after he fell asleep held back my eyes from him.