متّعdelight لواحظناour eyes بحسنكwith your beauty ساعةًfor an hour
متّع لواحظنا بحسنك ساعةً
ودعand let النفوسthe souls تروحdepart وهيwhile they توالفkeep affectionate company
ودع النفوس تروح وهي توالف
Delight our eyes with your beauty for an hour.
Refresh my soul with your beauty for an hour
And let the souls depart in loving companionship.
And let souls wander as they harmonize
واجعلand make وعودكyour promises ليto me صدوداًrejection قابلاًforthcoming
واجعل وعودك لي صدوداً قابلاً
فلقدfor indeed أراكI see you إذاwhenever وعدتyou promise تخالفyou break your word
فلقد أراك إذا وعدت تخالف
And let your promises to me be of rejection yet to come.
And make your promises to me binding
For I see you break your word whenever you promise.
For I see you break them when you vow
ويلاهalas for me منbecause of ساجيlanguid اللواحظthe eyes أهيفslender-waisted
ويلاه من ساجي اللواحظ أهيف
ماno ليfor me عليهagainst him سوىexcept البكاءweeping مساعفa helper
ما لي عليه سوى البكاء مساعف
Alas for me, because of a slender-waisted one with languid eyes!
Alas for she who stirs the passions stormily
I have no ally against him but weeping.
I have towards him only redoubled weeping
يومthe day الغنىof plenty يهواهloves him عاماًfor a year كلّهall of it
يوم الغنى يهواه عاماً كلّه
بالدمعِwith tears شاتٍwintering والصبابةand ardent longing صائفsummering
بالدمعِ شاتٍ والصبابة صائف
The day of plenty loves him the whole year through,
The day of wealth he desired all year
Wintering in tears and summering in ardent longing.
With shedding tears and youth departing
سلْask خصرهhis waist عنabout طولthe length of ليلةthe night of شعرهhis hair
سلْ خصره عن طول ليلة شعره
إنَّindeed السقيمthe ailing one بطولof the length of ليلa night عارفaware
إنَّ السقيم بطول ليل عارف
Ask his waist how long the night of his hair is.
Ask his slender waist about the length of a night in his hair
Indeed, the ailing know the length of a night.
Surely the lovesick knows the long night