يارُبَّAh, many a وَضّاحِradiant الجَبينِthe brow كَأَنَّماas though
يارُبَّ وَضّاحِ الجَبينِ كَأَنَّما
رَسمُthe tracing العِذارِthe cheek-down بِصَفحَتَيهِon his two cheeks كِتابُa book
رَسمُ العِذارِ بِصَفحَتَيهِ كِتابُ
Ah, many a youth, radiant of brow—as though
Ah, many a radiant-browed youth, as though
the tracery of his first beard upon both cheeks were script.
the tracery of cheek-down upon his cheeks were a book.
تَغرىare drawn بِطَلعَتِهِto his countenance العُيونُthe eyes مَهابَةًin awe
تَغرى بِطَلعَتِهِ العُيونُ مَهابَةً
وَتَبيتُand spend the night تَعشَقُloving عَقلَهُhis intellect الأَلبابُthe minds
وَتَبيتُ تَعشَقُ عَقلَهُ الأَلبابُ
Eyes are captivated by his countenance, awestruck,
Eyes are drawn to his countenance in awe,
while discerning minds spend the night enamored of his intellect.
and minds spend the night enamored of his intellect.
خُلِعَتwas bestowed عَلَيهِupon him مِنَfrom الصَباحِthe morning غِلالَةٌa sheer robe
خُلِعَت عَلَيهِ مِنَ الصَباحِ غِلالَةٌ
تَندىis dewy وَمِنand from شَفَقِthe twilight glow السَماءِthe sky نِقابُa veil
تَندى وَمِن شَفَقِ السَماءِ نِقابُ
Over him was draped a gauzy robe fashioned from morning,
A sheer robe of morning was bestowed upon him,
dewy, and a veil woven from the sky’s twilight.
dewy, and a veil of the sky's twilight glow.
فَكَرَعتُso I drank deeply مِنfrom ماءِthe water الصِباyouth فيat مَنهَلٍa watering place
فَكَرَعتُ مِن ماءِ الصِبا في مَنهَلٍ
قَدalready شُقَّwas torn away عَنهُfrom it مِنَof القَميصِthe shirt سَرابُa mirage
قَد شُقَّ عَنهُ مِنَ القَميصِ سَرابُ
So I bent and drank the water of youth at a spring
So I drank deep of youth's water at a watering place
from which a mirage, like a shirt, had been torn away.
from which a mirage of a shirt had been torn away,
فيin حَيثُwhere لِلريحِfor the wind الرَخاءِgentle تَنَفُّسٌa breath
في حَيثُ لِلريحِ الرَخاءِ تَنَفُّسٌ
أَرِجٌfragrant وَلِلماءِand for the water الفُراتِsweet عُبابُsurging waves
أَرِجٌ وَلِلماءِ الفُراتِ عُبابُ
There, the gentle wind breathed
where the gentle wind draws a breath,
fragrance, and the fresh water surged in billows.
fragrant, and the sweet water has surging waves.
وَلَرُبَّand many a غَضِّtender الجِسمِthe body مَدَّstretched out بِخَوضِهِin his wading
وَلَرُبَّ غَضِّ الجِسمِ مَدَّ بِخَوضِهِ
شَبَحاًa bodily form كَماas شَقَّcleft السَماءَthe sky شِهابُa meteor
شَبَحاً كَما شَقَّ السَماءَ شِهابُ
And many a tender-bodied one, wading, stretched
And many a tender-bodied youth, wading, stretched out
his figure out as a meteor cleaves the sky.
his form, as a meteor cleft the sky.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَنَختُI alighted بِشاطِئَيهِon its two banks يَهُزُّنيstirs me
وَلَقَد أَنَختُ بِشاطِئَيهِ يَهُزُّني
طَرَباًto rapture شَبابٌyouth راقَنيcharmed me وَشَرابُand wine
طَرَباً شَبابٌ راقَني وَشَرابُ
Indeed, I made my camel kneel beside its two banks, while I was stirred
And indeed I alighted on its two banks, where I was stirred
to rapture by youth that delighted me, and by wine.
to rapture by youth that charmed me, and wine.
وَبَكَيتُand I wept for دِجلَتَهُits Tigris يُضاحِكُنيlaughs with me بِهاat it
وَبَكَيتُ دِجلَتَهُ يُضاحِكُني بِها
مَرَحاًin merriment حَبيبٌa beloved شاقَنيmade me yearn وَحَبابُand bubbles
مَرَحاً حَبيبٌ شاقَني وَحَبابُ
And I wept for its Tigris, while upon it laughed with me
And I wept for its Tigris, where there laughed with me
in merriment a beloved who made me yearn—and the water’s bubbles.
in merriment, a beloved who made me yearn, and bubbles.
