بسَفْحِ الصالحية قد نَزَلْنا

بسَفْحِ الصالحية قد نَزَلْنا

بقصْر بين مُلَتفّ الحدائِقْ

بقصْر بين مُلَتفّ الحدائِقْ

At the foot of al-Salihiyya we alighted,

At the foot of As-Salihiya we alighted

In a palace amid the gardens' tangled growth.

At a palace amidst winding gardens

تناغَت بيننا الأطيارُ حتى

تناغَت بيننا الأطيارُ حتى

تبين بيننا من كانَ عاشِقْ

تبين بيننا من كانَ عاشِقْ

The birds sang to one another among us, until

The birds twittered between us until

It became clear who among us was in love.

It was clear between us who was a lover

ورقَّ لنا الأصيلُ به وراقَتْ

ورقَّ لنا الأصيلُ به وراقَتْ

جداوله وذيلُ الريح خافِقْ

جداوله وذيلُ الريح خافِقْ

There the late afternoon grew gentle for us, and lovely were

And the authentic nightingale sang to us

Its streams, while the wind's train fluttered.

Its streams and the tail of the breeze fluttering

حننتُ به إِلى سكنى وزرّتْ

حننتُ به إِلى سكنى وزرّتْ

عليه جوانحي فرز البنادقْ

عليه جوانحي فرز البنادقْ

There I longed to dwell, and fastened shut

I yearned there for dwellings and rustled

Around it were my ribs, like a mold around pellets.

My wings upon it sorting the pine nuts

فلا أنسى عشيتنا وإِلفى

فلا أنسى عشيتنا وإِلفى

حضور بيننا والحبّ صادقْ

حضور بيننا والحبّ صادقْ

So I never forget our evening, with my beloved

I cannot forget our evening and friendship

Present among us, and love sincere.

Between us, with love being sincere

يسارقني بألحاظ مراض

يسارقني بألحاظ مراض

فديتك يا أميري من مسارقْ

فديتك يا أميري من مسارقْ

He exchanges furtive, languid glances with me—

He steals me with affectionate glances

My life for you, my prince, you stealer of glances!

I ransom you, my prince, from thieves

ويشرقُ منه في عينيّ بدرٌ

ويشرقُ منه في عينيّ بدرٌ

على غُصُن تثنَّى في القراطقْ

على غُصُن تثنَّى في القراطقْ

And from him a full moon shines into my eyes,

The full moon rises in my eyes

Upon a bough that sways in short tunics.

On a bending branch amidst the lined trees

ولا أنسى عشية قيل شُدّوا

ولا أنسى عشية قيل شُدّوا

على خيل الهوى والشوقُ سائقْ

على خيل الهوى والشوقُ سائقْ

Nor do I forget the evening when it was said, 'Saddle up

And I cannot forget the evening we were told

On passion's steeds, with longing as the driver.

Mount the horses of love, and longing the driver

تعالوا في ميادين التصابي

تعالوا في ميادين التصابي

لنتلوا بيننا من كانَ سابقْ

لنتلوا بيننا من كانَ سابقْ

Come into the fields of youthful dalliance,

Come in the battlefields of competition

Let us follow whoever among us was first.'

Between us reciting whoever was first

فمنا محرز للسبق طلقٌ

فمنا محرز للسبق طلقٌ

هناك وآخرٌ وانٍ ولاحِقْ

هناك وآخرٌ وانٍ ولاحِقْ

So one of us secures the lead, fleet and free

For some of us, victory is guaranteed

There, while another flags and follows behind.

There, and another hesitant and pursuing

ولي في حبِّ من أهواه سَبْقٌ

ولي في حبِّ من أهواه سَبْقٌ

تقصّر عنه غايات السوابِقْ

تقصّر عنه غايات السوابِقْ

And in loving the one I adore, I have a lead

And in my love for whom I adore, I have a lead

Beyond the farthest reach of the foremost steeds.

Beyond the reaches of all front runners