وعصابةٍand a band نادمتهمI drank with them
وعصابةٍ نادمتهم
وهناًlate at night بغيرwithout تندّمregret
وهناً بغير تندّم
And I drank with a band of companions
And a band I regret them
Late at night, without regret.
And tenderness without remorse
ركبواthey rode إلىtoward شمسthe sun of السّلاthe wine (word continues)
ركبوا إلى شمس السّلا
فِending of السّلاف (“wine”) سراةthe crest of جنحٍnight-darkness أدهمpitch-black
فِ سراة جنحٍ أدهم
They rode toward the sun of wine
They rode to the sun of glory
Over the crest of a pitch-black night.
In meadows of wings dark brown
فعجبتُso I marveled منat ساقيهمِtheir cupbearer
فعجبتُ من ساقيهمِ
قمرٌa moon يطوفcircles بأنجمamong stars
قمرٌ يطوف بأنجم
So I marveled at their cupbearer:
So I marveled at their rider
A moon circling among stars,
A moon circling with stars
بذؤابتينwith two tresses جليّتينboth plainly visible
بذؤابتين جليّتين
لناظرto the eye of المتوسمthe discerning observer
لناظر المتوسم
With two tresses plainly visible
With two shining lights
To the discerning observer's eye.
To the observer hoping
وجهٌa face لفالقto the One who cleaves صبحهِits dawn
وجهٌ لفالق صبحهِ
يعنوbows فؤادُthe heart of المسلمthe Muslim
يعنو فؤادُ المسلم
A face—before the One who cleaves its dawn
A face for the dawn of morning
The Muslim's heart bows.
That pleases the heart of a Muslim
وكذاكand likewise ليلُthe night of عذارهhis cheek-down
وكذاك ليلُ عذاره
سكنٌsolace لكلّfor every متيمone enslaved by love
سكنٌ لكلّ متيم
And likewise, the night of his cheek-down
And so is the night of their virgin
Is solace for every captive of love.
A home for every lover