أَتاكَ مُحَيِّياً عَني اِعتِذارا

أَتاكَ مُحَيِّياً عَني اِعتِذارا

عَذارى دونَهُ ريقُ العَذارى

عَذارى دونَهُ ريقُ العَذارى

It has come to greet you on my behalf, as an apology:

My messenger came to you apologizing on my behalf

ʿAdhārā, surpassing the saliva of maidens.

His apology is sweeter than the juice of fruits

تَخالُ الشَهدَ مِنهُ مُستَمَدّاً

تَخالُ الشَهدَ مِنهُ مُستَمَدّاً

وَنَفحَ المِسكِ مِنهُ مُستَعارا

وَنَفحَ المِسكِ مِنهُ مُستَعارا

You would think honey were drawn from it,

As if drawing honey from his words

And the fragrance of musk borrowed from it.

And borrowing the scent of musk from him

يَروقُ العَينَ مِنهُ جِسمُ ماءٍ

يَروقُ العَينَ مِنهُ جِسمُ ماءٍ

غَدا ثَوبُ الهَواءِ لَهُ شِعارا

غَدا ثَوبُ الهَواءِ لَهُ شِعارا

Its watery body delights the eye;

His body pleases the eye like water

A robe of air has become its inner garment.

The garment of air became his banner

وَلَولا أَنَّني قَد نِلتُ مِنهُ

وَلَولا أَنَّني قَد نِلتُ مِنهُ

وَلَم أَسكَر لَخِلتُ بِهِ عُقارا

وَلَم أَسكَر لَخِلتُ بِهِ عُقارا

And had I not already tasted some of it

Had I not been satiated by him

Without becoming drunk, I would have thought it wine.

I would have taken him as a healing potion

بَعَثتُ بِهِ وَلَو أَهدَيتُ نَفسي

بَعَثتُ بِهِ وَلَو أَهدَيتُ نَفسي

إِلَيكَ لَكانَ مِن بِرّي اِقتِصارا

إِلَيكَ لَكانَ مِن بِرّي اِقتِصارا

I sent it; and even had I offered my own self

I sent him though had I offered myself to you

To you, even that would have fallen short of my devotion.

It would have been too little of my duty

فَأَنعِم بِالقَبولِ فَرُبَّ نُعمى

فَأَنعِم بِالقَبولِ فَرُبَّ نُعمى

أَعَدتَ بِها دُجى لَيلي نَهارا

أَعَدتَ بِها دُجى لَيلي نَهارا

So graciously accept it; for many are the favors

So kindly accept him, for many a bounty

Through which you have turned my night's darkness into day.

You have prepared to turn my night into day