لاlet not يَصرِفَنَّكَever divert you عَنfrom قَصفٍrevelry وَإِصباءِand amorous dalliance
لا يَصرِفَنَّكَ عَن قَصفٍ وَإِصباءِ
مَجموعُunited رَأيِcounsel وَلاnor تَشتيتُscattering أَهواءِdesires
مَجموعُ رَأيِ وَلا تَشتيتُ أَهواءِ
Let nothing turn you from revelry and amorous dalliance—
Let neither gathered counsel nor scattered passions turn you away from revelry and love,
neither united counsel nor scattered desires.
And drink pure wine, clear as a rooster's eye, from the hand of a gazelle-like cupbearer with striking eyes.
وَاِشرَبand drink سُلافاًchoice wine كَعَينِlike the eye الديكِof the rooster صافِيَةًclear
وَاِشرَب سُلافاً كَعَينِ الديكِ صافِيَةً
مِنfrom كَفِّthe palm ساقِيَةٍa female cupbearer كَالريمِlike a white gazelle حَوراءِwide, dark-eyed
مِن كَفِّ ساقِيَةٍ كَالريمِ حَوراءِ
And drink choice wine, clear as a rooster's eye,
Yellow when left pure, yet blue when mixed, she ascends with a double fortune of beauty and shimmer.
from the palm of a dark-eyed serving girl like a white gazelle.
Her bubbles leap up when mixed, like the leaping of grasshoppers from meadows and shade.
صَفراءُyellow ماwhile تُرِكَتit is left alone زَرقاءُblue إِنif مُزِجَتit is mixed
صَفراءُ ما تُرِكَت زَرقاءُ إِن مُزِجَت
تَسموit rises high بِحَظَّينِwith two shares مِنof حُسنٍbeauty وَلَألاءِand brilliance
تَسمو بِحَظَّينِ مِن حُسنٍ وَلَألاءِ
Yellow when left unmixed, blue if blended,
She leaves trails of pure gold behind her, in the east and in the west, in light and in darkness.
it excels in two gifts—beauty and brilliance.
Her lineage belongs not to palm trees nor to grapes, but rather to white honey and water;
تَنزوleap فَواقِعُهاits bubbles مِنهاfrom it إِذاwhen مُزِجَتit is mixed
تَنزو فَواقِعُها مِنها إِذا مُزِجَت
نَزوَleaping الجَنادِبِgrasshoppers مِنfrom مَرجٍa meadow وَأَفياءِand patches of shade
نَزوَ الجَنادِبِ مِن مَرجٍ وَأَفياءِ
Its bubbles leap from it when it is mixed,
The work of bees in hives that are never desolate, endowed with the finest grounds for summer and winter.
as grasshoppers leap from a meadow and patches of shade.
They graze upon the blossoms of valleys and fields, and drink pure clarity from ponds and springs.
لَهاit has ذُيولٌtails مِنَof العِقيانِpure gold تَتبَعُهاfollow it
لَها ذُيولٌ مِنَ العِقيانِ تَتبَعُها
فيin الشَرقِthe east وَالغَربِand the west فيin نورٍlight وَظَلماءِand darkness
في الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ في نورٍ وَظَلماءِ
It has tails of pure gold that follow it,
Pug-nosed, brisk and busy, with sunken eyes and free from all disease.
in east and west, in light and darkness.
Among them are those near birth, humming and pregnant, and mothers followed by young, and virgins.
لَيسَتis not إِلىto النَخلِdate palms وَالأَعنابِand grapes نِسبَتُهاits lineage
لَيسَت إِلى النَخلِ وَالأَعنابِ نِسبَتُها
لَكِنbut إِلىto العَسَلِhoney الماذِيِّpure white وَالماءِand water
لَكِن إِلى العَسَلِ الماذِيِّ وَالماءِ
Its lineage is not from date palms or grapes,
They depart and return at night from their paths, coming home to powerful kings and beloved ones.
but from pure white honey and water.
Each in his fortress executes his command among his party, with fair words and sound judgment.
نِتاجُthe yield نَحلِbees خَلاياhives غَيرِnot مُقفِرَةٍdeserted
نِتاجُ نَحلِ خَلايا غَيرِ مُقفِرَةٍ
خُصَّتwere favored بِأَطيَبِwith the finest مُصطافٍsummer quarters وَمَشتاءِand winter quarters
خُصَّت بِأَطيَبِ مُصطافٍ وَمَشتاءِ
The yield of bees from hives that are not deserted,
They grazed not in the plains upon common fruits, nor on that which rain and dew made ripe.
favored with the finest summer and winter quarters.
They persisted in their obedient gathering, never slackening within the chambers and corners,
تَرعىthey graze on أَزاهيرَblossoms غيطانٍlowland fields وَأَودِيَةٍand valleys
تَرعى أَزاهيرَ غيطانٍ وَأَودِيَةٍ
وَتَشرَبُand drink الصَفوَclear water مِنfrom غُدرٍpools وَأَحساءِand sandy waterholes
وَتَشرَبُ الصَفوَ مِن غُدرٍ وَأَحساءِ
They graze on blossoms in lowland fields and valleys,
Until, when the round combs of their structure stood firm, they flooded them with honey after they had been dry.
and drink clear water from pools and sandy waterholes.
And when the time came to harvest the honeycomb, it did not wait long to be gathered on a radiant day.
فُطسُflat الأُنوفِnoses مَقاريفٌmixed-bred مُشَمِّرَةٌindustrious
فُطسُ الأُنوفِ مَقاريفٌ مُشَمِّرَةٌ
خوصُnarrow العُيونِeyes بَريآتٌfree مِنَfrom الداءِdisease
خوصُ العُيونِ بَريآتٌ مِنَ الداءِ
Flat-nosed, mixed-bred, industrious,
They clarified it with Nile water when it appeared, within a priest's vat, spacious as the hollow of a well,
narrow-eyed and free from disease.
Until the brewers skimmed off its froth, and the fire purged away every impurity.
مِنamong مُقرِبٍnear delivery عُشَراءٍten months pregnant ذاتِhaving زَمزَمَةٍbuzzing
مِن مُقرِبٍ عُشَراءٍ ذاتِ زَمزَمَةٍ
وَعائِذٍand a new mother مُتبَعٍfollowed by her young مِنهاamong them وَعَذراءُand a virgin
وَعائِذٍ مُتبَعٍ مِنها وَعَذراءُ
Among them are those near delivery, ten months pregnant and buzzing,
They entrusted it to pitch-lined casks, dark and dusty containers,
and, among them, new mothers followed by their young, and virgins.
And its mouths were sealed for an age with leaves, using pure clay from firm, unyielding earth,
تَغدوthey go out in the morning وَتَرجَعُand return لَيلاًat night عَنfrom مَسارِبِهاtheir roaming paths
تَغدو وَتَرجَعُ لَيلاً عَن مَسارِبِها
إِلىto مُلوكٍkings ذَويendowed with عِزٍّmight وَأَحباءِand gifts
إِلى مُلوكٍ ذَوي عِزٍّ وَأَحباءِ
They go out in the morning and return at night from their roaming paths,
Until it settled within its vessel and grew calm, after its time of rumbling and tumult.
to kings endowed with might and bounty.
It emerged like the morning sun on its most auspicious day, moving from the tower of pleasure to the horizons of joy.
كُلٌّeach بِمَعقِلِهِin his stronghold يُمضيenforces حُكومَتَهُhis judgment
كُلٌّ بِمَعقِلِهِ يُمضي حُكومَتَهُ
فيamong حِزبِهِhis followers بِجَميلِwith gracious القَولِspeech وَالراءِand counsel
في حِزبِهِ بِجَميلِ القَولِ وَالراءِ
Each in his stronghold enforces his judgment,
As if, when the tongue of water strikes it, it is a fire blazing through a thicket of reeds.
among his followers, through gracious speech and counsel.
From the mixing, it forms eyes within the cups, gazing at those who drink it after a moment of blinking.
لَمdid not تَرعَgraze بِالسَهلِin the plain أَنواعَkinds الثِمارِfruit وَلاnor
لَم تَرعَ بِالسَهلِ أَنواعَ الثِمارِ وَلا
ماwhat أَينَعَmade bloom الزَهرَthe blossoms مِنof قَطرٍrain وَأَنداءِand dews
ما أَينَعَ الزَهرَ مِن قَطرٍ وَأَنداءِ
They did not graze in the plain on varieties of fruit, nor
As if the one who mixed it with water had collared it with the shed skin of a serpent or viper.
on the rain and dew that brought the blossoms to bloom.
So drink—may you be guided—and begin a song for the gathering, accompanied by lutes and the flute.
زالَتshe went forth وَزِلنَand they went forth بِطاعاتِin obedience to الجِماعِthe community فَماso never
زالَت وَزِلنَ بِطاعاتِ الجِماعِ فَما
يَنينَslacken فيin خُدُرٍsecluded chambers مِنهاof it وَأَرجاءِand outer reaches
يَنينَ في خُدُرٍ مِنها وَأَرجاءِ
Each went forth, and all went forth, serving the swarm; never
If your renunciation of the world matched your renunciation of my love, you would surely walk upon water.
did they slacken in its inner chambers or outer reaches.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen اِصطَكَّfitted tightly together مِنfrom بُنيانِهاtheir structure قُرَصٌhoneycombs
حَتّى إِذا اِصطَكَّ مِن بُنيانِها قُرَصٌ
أَروَينَهاthey saturated them عَسَلاًhoney مِنfrom بَعدِafter إِصداءِthirst
أَروَينَها عَسَلاً مِن بَعدِ إِصداءِ
Until, when honeycombs in their structure were fitted close together,
they slaked them with honey after thirst.
وَآنَand became due مِنfrom شُهدِهاits comb-honey وَقتُthe time الشِيارِhoney-harvesting فَلَمso did not
وَآنَ مِن شُهدِها وَقتُ الشِيارِ فَلَم
تَلبَثlinger بِأَنin being شُيِّرَتit was harvested فيon يَومِa day أَضواءِlights
تَلبَث بِأَن شُيِّرَت في يَومِ أَضواءِ
And the time came to harvest its comb-honey; it did not
linger before being gathered on a bright day.
وَصَفَّقوهاand they mixed it بِماءِwith water النيلِthe Nile إِذwhen بَرَزَتit emerged
وَصَفَّقوها بِماءِ النيلِ إِذ بَرَزَت
فيin قِدرِa cauldron قَسٍّof a priest كَجَوفِlike the hollow الجُبِّof a well رَوحاءِspacious
في قِدرِ قَسٍّ كَجَوفِ الجُبِّ رَوحاءِ
And they mixed it with Nile water when it emerged,
in a priest's cauldron, roomy as the hollow of a well.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen نَزَعَskimmed off الرُوّادُthe scouts رَغوَتَهاits foam
حَتّى إِذا نَزَعَ الرُوّادُ رَغوَتَها
وَأَقصَتِand drove away النارُthe fire عَنهاfrom it كُلَّevery ضَرّاءِharm
وَأَقصَتِ النارُ عَنها كُلَّ ضَرّاءِ
Until, when the scouts had skimmed away its foam,
and the fire had driven every ill from it,
اِستَودَعوهاthey entrusted it رَواقيداًlarge jars مُزَفَّتَةًpitch-lined
اِستَودَعوها رَواقيداً مُزَفَّتَةً
مِنof أَغبَرٍdusty-gray قاتِمٍdark مِنهاamong them وَغَبراءِand ash-gray
مِن أَغبَرٍ قاتِمٍ مِنها وَغَبراءِ
they entrusted it to pitch-lined jars,
some of them dark and dusty-gray, and others ash-gray.
وَكُمَّand were capped أَفواهُهاtheir mouths دَهراًfor an age عَلىupon وَرَقٍsheets
وَكُمَّ أَفواهُها دَهراً عَلى وَرَقٍ
مِنof حُرِّpure طينَةِclay أَرضٍearth غَيرِnot مَيثاءِsoft and loose
مِن حُرِّ طينَةِ أَرضٍ غَيرِ مَيثاءِ
And their mouths were capped for an age with sheets
of pure clay from ground that was not soft.
حَتّىuntil إِذاwhen سَكَنَتit settled فيin دَنِّهاits wine jar وَهَدَتand grew still
حَتّى إِذا سَكَنَت في دَنِّها وَهَدَت
مِنfrom بَعدِafter دَمدَمَةٍrumbling مِنهاfrom it وَضَوضاءِand commotion
مِن بَعدِ دَمدَمَةٍ مِنها وَضَوضاءِ
Until, when it had settled in its jar and grown still,
after its rumbling and commotion,
جاءَتit came forth كَشَمسِlike the sun ضُحىًmidmorning فيon يَومِa day أَسعُدِهاits good fortunes
جاءَت كَشَمسِ ضُحىً في يَومِ أَسعُدِها
مِنfrom بُرجِa zodiacal sign لَهوٍrevelry إِلىto آفاقِhorizons سَرّاءِjoy
مِن بُرجِ لَهوٍ إِلى آفاقِ سَرّاءِ
it came forth like the midmorning sun on its day of good fortune,
from the zodiacal sign of revelry to horizons of joy.
كَأَنَّهاas though it وَلِسانُwhile the tongue الماءِwater يَقرَعُهاstrikes it
كَأَنَّها وَلِسانُ الماءِ يَقرَعُها
نارٌfire تَأَجَّجُblazes فيin آجامِthickets قَصباءِreeds
نارٌ تَأَجَّجُ في آجامِ قَصباءِ
As the tongue of water strikes it, it is like
a fire blazing in thickets of reeds.
لَهاit has مِنَfrom المَزجِmixing فيin كاساتِهاits cups حَدَقٌpupils
لَها مِنَ المَزجِ في كاساتِها حَدَقٌ
تَرنوgaze إِلىat شَربِهاits drinkers مِنfrom بَعدِafter إِغضاءِlowering the eyelids
تَرنو إِلى شَربِها مِن بَعدِ إِغضاءِ
The blending gives it eyes within its cups,
gazing at its drinkers after their lids were lowered.
كَأَنَّas though مازِجَهاthe one mixing it بِالماءِwith water طَوَّقَهاencircled it
كَأَنَّ مازِجَها بِالماءِ طَوَّقَها
مَنزوعَshed جِلدَةَskin ثُعبانٍa serpent وَأَفعاءِand a viper
مَنزوعَ جِلدَةَ ثُعبانٍ وَأَفعاءِ
As though the one mixing it with water had ringed it
with the shed skin of a serpent and a viper.
فَاِشرَبso drink هُديتَmay you be guided وَغَنِّand sing to القَومَthe company مُبتَدِأًbeginning
فَاِشرَب هُديتَ وَغَنِّ القَومَ مُبتَدِأً
عَلىwith مُساعَدَةَaccompaniment العيدانِlutes وَالناءِand the reed flute
عَلى مُساعَدَةَ العيدانِ وَالناءِ
So drink—may you be guided—and begin singing to the company,
to the accompaniment of lutes and the reed flute:
لَوif كانَwere زُهدُكِyour renunciation فيof الدُنياthis world كَزُهدِكَlike your renunciation فيof
لَو كانَ زُهدُكِ في الدُنيا كَزُهدِكَ في
وَصليunion with me مَشَيتِyou would walk بِلاwithout شَكٍّdoubt عَلىon الماءِwater
وَصلي مَشَيتِ بِلا شَكٍّ عَلى الماءِ
If your renunciation of this world matched your renunciation of
union with me, you would surely walk on water.
Partial English translation: 27 of 54 Arabic lines translated.