لولا هواكِ وجلَّ خطبُ هواكِ

لولا هواكِ وجلَّ خطبُ هواكِ

ما كنت يوم سراكِ من أسراكِ

ما كنت يوم سراكِ من أسراكِ

Were it not for loving you—and grave is the ordeal of loving you—

Had it not been for your love and the gravity of your love's affairs

I would not have been among your captives the day you journeyed by night.

I would not have one day loosened your braids

ولما وقفتُ وللجفون حبائلٌ

ولما وقفتُ وللجفون حبائلٌ

من شعرها المسودّ في أشراك

من شعرها المسودّ في أشراك

Nor would I have stood—the eyelids have snares

And when I stood, though my eyelids were weighed down

Of their black lashes—caught in nets.

By her black hair's snares in my bosom

فطنَ الوشاةُ بفيكِ فلم أنل

فطنَ الوشاةُ بفيكِ فلم أنل

منكِ المنى فإليكِ أشكو فاكِ

منكِ المنى فإليكِ أشكو فاكِ

The tale-bearers noticed your mouth, so I could not win

The spies were aware of your troth so I did not attain

My wishes from you; to you I complain of your mouth.

The object of my desire, so to you I complain of my misery

وزعمتِ أن العهد باق ثابت

وزعمتِ أن العهد باق ثابت

ونعمْ فأين لذاذةُ الإدراك

ونعمْ فأين لذاذةُ الإدراك

And you claimed the pledge endures, steadfast;

And you claimed the pact was fixed and binding

Yes—but where is the sweetness of fulfillment?

But where is the sweetness of union?

ولئن جزعتِ لطرف عينٍ فاسقٍ

ولئن جزعتِ لطرف عينٍ فاسقٍ

فوراءهُ قلبٌ من النّساك

فوراءهُ قلبٌ من النّساك

And if an eye's wanton glance alarms you,

And if you grieve for a debauched glance

Then behind it lies a heart among the ascetics.

Behind it is a heart of devotees

لا ذاقَ قلبي من طلولك سلوةً

لا ذاقَ قلبي من طلولك سلوةً

فهو الذي أغناكِ عن مغناك

فهو الذي أغناكِ عن مغناك

May my heart never taste solace from your ruined dwellings;

My heart has not tasted the joy of your favours

For it has freed you from needing your own abode.

It is that which has made you independent of your singer

لولاه ما أضرمتُ نارَ جوانحي

لولاه ما أضرمتُ نارَ جوانحي

ونحرتُ حمر مدامعي لقراك

ونحرتُ حمر مدامعي لقراك

Without it, I would not have kindled the fire within my breast,

Had it not been for it, I would not have kindled the fire of my soul

Nor slaughtered my crimson tears to feast you.

And I would not have sacrificed the red of my tears for your sake

يا ليلةً سمحَ الزمان بكونها

يا ليلةً سمحَ الزمان بكونها

لولا الرقيبُ لقلتُ ما أحلاك

لولا الرقيبُ لقلتُ ما أحلاك

O night that Time allowed to be,

Oh, for a night the times would allow to be

Were it not for the watcher, I would have said, "How sweet you are!"

But for the watcher I would say what sweets you have!

أمغنّي الشّربِ الكرام بها أعدْ

أمغنّي الشّربِ الكرام بها أعدْ

ومديرةَ الصهباء هاتِ وهاك

ومديرةَ الصهباء هاتِ وهاك

O singer for the noble drinkers that night, sing again!

Give me some noble drink on it I will prepare

And you who pass the tawny wine, bring it—and take this!

And the blonde server bring her here and take this

أرسلتها حمراء كالياقوت في

أرسلتها حمراء كالياقوت في

بيضاء صافية كدمع الباكي

بيضاء صافية كدمع الباكي

You poured it, red as ruby, into

I sent it red as ruby in

A white, clear cup, like a weeper's tear.

Pure white like the tear of a weeping cloud

كادت تطير من الزُّجاج وإنما

كادت تطير من الزُّجاج وإنما

صاغ المزاج لها خفيَّ شباك

صاغ المزاج لها خفيَّ شباك

It almost flew out of the glass, but

It almost flew from the glass but

The admixture alone fashioned hidden nets for it.

The mold gave it a hidden mesh

فاللون من خدَّيك والنشواتُ من

فاللون من خدَّيك والنشواتُ من

عينيك والنفحات من ريَّاك

عينيك والنفحات من ريَّاك

So its color comes from your cheeks, its raptures from

The color is from your cheeks, the bubbles from

Your eyes, and its fragrant wafts from your scent.

Your eyes, the smells from your saliva

وكأنما مسكيُّ أنفاس الصّبا

وكأنما مسكيُّ أنفاس الصّبا

لفظُ الهناء بعاشرِ الأملاك

لفظُ الهناء بعاشرِ الأملاك

And it is as though the east wind's musk-scented breaths

As if the sighs of the morning breeze

Were words of congratulation for the tenth of kings.

Were musk exhaled by the highest of angels