تمادى الصِّبا بيَ في غيِّهِ

تمادى الصِّبا بيَ في غيِّهِ

وأسلمني للْهوى لُوّمي

وأسلمني للْهوى لُوّمي

Youth carried me ever deeper into its waywardness,

The morning breeze persisted in its folly,

And my reproachers surrendered me to desire.

And surrendered me to passion though I resisted.

وراجعتُ لهْوِي ولذَّاته

وراجعتُ لهْوِي ولذَّاته

ونزَّهتُ نفسي عن المَحْرَم

ونزَّهتُ نفسي عن المَحْرَم

And I resumed my revelry and its pleasures,

I returned to my passion and its pleasures,

And I kept myself clear of the forbidden.

And kept my soul from what is forbidden.

وقال العواتقُ أهلاً بمَنْ

وقال العواتقُ أهلاً بمَنْ

تناهَى إلى الخُلق الأكرم

تناهَى إلى الخُلق الأكرم

And the maidens said, “Welcome to one

The maidens said, “Welcome to one

who has attained the noblest character!”

Who has attained the most noble character.”

فكم ليَ فيهنَّ من قاضياتٍ

فكم ليَ فيهنَّ من قاضياتٍ

نذوراً لذاكَ ولمْ أعلم

نذوراً لذاكَ ولمْ أعلم

How many among them have fulfilled, for my sake,

How many of them were my judges,

vows on that account, though I did not know!

Making vows to him, though I knew it not.

وقائلةٍ بين أترابها

وقائلةٍ بين أترابها

أما يتقي الله ذا في دمي

أما يتقي الله ذا في دمي

And a woman said among her companions:

One said among her companions,

“Does this man not fear God concerning my blood?

“Does he not fear God, with my blood in him?”

ألا ليتَهُ زارَ مُسْتخْفِياً

ألا ليتَهُ زارَ مُسْتخْفِياً

إذا رقدتْ أعينُ النُّوَّم

إذا رقدتْ أعينُ النُّوَّم

Ah, if only he would visit in secret

Oh, would that he had come to me stealthily

when the sleepers' eyes have fallen asleep,

When all eyes were closed in sleep.

فأنقعَ مِنْ قُربهِ غُلَّةً

فأنقعَ مِنْ قُربهِ غُلَّةً

بقلبيَ من حُبِّهِ الأقدم

بقلبيَ من حُبِّهِ الأقدم

so I might quench, through his nearness, a burning thirst

So he might have left in my heart

in my heart from my long-standing love for him!”

A love for him more enduring than before.

أتتْنِي الرسالةُ عنها بذاك

أتتْنِي الرسالةُ عنها بذاك

على منطقٍ ليس بالأعجمي

على منطقٍ ليس بالأعجمي

The message came to me from her with those words,

The message came to me from her, in words

in speech that was not foreign.

Not confused, but clear in meaning.

فأنْبأْتُها أنَّني حافظ

فأنْبأْتُها أنَّني حافظ

لأشياخِها ذمَّةَ المُسلم

لأشياخِها ذمَّةَ المُسلم

So I told her that I honor

I told her that I remain true

a Muslim's pledge to her elders.

To the protection owed her elders.

وأوْدعْتُها حسرةً بالعفافِ

وأوْدعْتُها حسرةً بالعفافِ

ووفرتُ دِيني فلم أثلمِ

ووفرتُ دِيني فلم أثلمِ

And through chastity I left her with heartache,

And I left her in sorrow for virtue,

And I kept my faith intact, without breaching it.

While keeping my religion pure, undefiled.

ألا فاسقِني من بناتِ الكُروم

ألا فاسقِني من بناتِ الكُروم

وروِّ بكاساتِها أعْظُمي

وروِّ بكاساتِها أعْظُمي

Come, give me drink of the daughters of the vines,

Oh come, let me drink from the vines

And quench my bones' thirst with their cups,

And be sated by their wine, my best medicine.

على لحن صوتٍ تخيَّرتُهُ

على لحن صوتٍ تخيَّرتُهُ

وإلا فلا تُدْنِها مِنْ فَمِي

وإلا فلا تُدْنِها مِنْ فَمِي

to the melody of a song I have chosen;

To the tune of a voice I know well,

Otherwise, do not bring it near my mouth.

Else, do not bring the cup near my mouth.

غشيتُ المنازلَ بالأنْعُمِ

غشيتُ المنازلَ بالأنْعُمِ

كَمُنْعرجِ الوشي في المِعْصمِ

كَمُنْعرجِ الوشي في المِعْصمِ

I visited the dwellings at al-Anʿum,

I roamed the dwellings in comfort

like the curve of embroidery at the wrist.

Like a bracelet sliding on an arm.