ما زال يرشف من خمر الطلا قمر

ما زال يرشف من خمر الطلا قمر

حتى غدا ثملاً ما فيه من رمق

حتى غدا ثملاً ما فيه من رمق

A moon-faced beauty kept sipping the wine of ṭilā,

A moon kept sipping the grape wine,

The moon still sips from the wine of dalliance,

until he became so drunk that no spark of life remained in him.

until he grew drunk, with no spark of life left in him.

Until drunk, devoid of any vigor.

وراح يشربها جنح الدجى عللاً

وراح يشربها جنح الدجى عللاً

حتى بدت شفتاه اللعس كالشفق

حتى بدت شفتاه اللعس كالشفق

At nightfall he began drinking it again and again,

And he went on drinking it at nightfall, draught after draught,

And the wings of dusk went about drinking it insistently,

until his dusky lips appeared crimson as the twilight.

until his dusky lips looked like the twilight glow.

Until its lips appeared rosy like the horizon.

وقام يخطر والأرداف تقعده

وقام يخطر والأرداف تقعده

وخصره ناحل قد زين بالنطق

وخصره ناحل قد زين بالنطق

He rose and swayed coquettishly, while his haunches made him falter;

And he rose, swaying as he walked, while his hips weighed him down,

And it swayed as it walked, hips make it sit,

his slender waist was adorned with girdles.

and his slender waist was adorned with girdles.

Its slim waist adorned with speech.

يا للنهى من عذيرى في هوى رشا

يا للنهى من عذيرى في هوى رشا

ظبي نفور يحاكي البدر في الأفق

ظبي نفور يحاكي البدر في الأفق

O people of reason, who will plead my excuse for loving a young gazelle—

O powers of reason! Who will excuse me for loving a fawn—

O, the reproach of my excuse in passionate love

a skittish gazelle that rivals the full moon on the horizon?

a skittish gazelle resembling the full moon on the horizon?

A shy gazelle emulating the full moon on the horizon.

جذبته لعناقي فانثنى خجلاً

جذبته لعناقي فانثنى خجلاً

وغض طرفا فواوجدي وواحرقي

وغض طرفا فواوجدي وواحرقي

I drew him into my embrace, and he bent away in bashfulness,

I drew him to my embrace, and he turned aside, abashed,

I drew it close for an embrace, and it recoiled shyly

lowering his gaze—ah, my longing! Ah, my burning heart!

and lowered his gaze—oh, my longing, oh, my burning anguish!

And cast its eyes down, so ignite me and burn me!

فضرج الخد بالنعمان من غضب

فضرج الخد بالنعمان من غضب

وكللت وجنتاه الحمر بالعرق

وكللت وجنتاه الحمر بالعرق

Anger stained his cheek with the red of Nuʿmān’s anemones,

Then his cheek was stained anemone-red with anger,

The cheek flushed red with anger,

and sweat crowned his rosy cheeks.

and his red cheeks were crowned with sweat.

And its cheeks were crowned by sweat.

وقال لي برموز من لواحظه

وقال لي برموز من لواحظه

يا شيخ أهل الهوى يا شيخ كل تقي

يا شيخ أهل الهوى يا شيخ كل تقي

With signals from his sidelong glances, he said to me:

And he said to me through the signs of his glances:

And it said to me in gestures from its glances,

“O master of love’s devotees, O master of every godly soul,

"O master of lovers, O master of all the devout,

“O, sheikh of lovers, O pious sheikh!

ماذا تقول وقد قال الرواة لنا

ماذا تقول وقد قال الرواة لنا

إن العناق حرام قلت في عنقي

إن العناق حرام قلت في عنقي

what do you say, when the transmitters have told us

what do you say, when the transmitters have told us

What are you saying when the narrators have told us

that embracing is forbidden?” I said, “Let the sin be upon my neck.”

that embracing is forbidden?" I said, "Let it rest on my neck."

That embracing is forbidden?” I said, “Around my neck!”