Sol 6.1

  1. يا مرهفاً في لحاظه مرهف

    ومخطف القد سهمه مخطف

    O delicate one, whose glances hold a keen blade,

    and slender of form, whose arrow is swift to strike:

  2. من اودع الورد وجنتيك ومن

    نقش طرز العذار أو غلف

    who lodged roses in your cheeks, and who

    traced the embroidered bands of your cheek-down, or perfumed it?

  3. وما لهذا الصدغ المشوش قد

    عارض طرق التقبيل واستهدف

    And why has this tousled temple-lock

    crossed the paths of kissing and offered itself as a target?

  4. أطلع أفق العجاج لي قمراً

    بين نجوم تجول أو تزحف

    The dust-cloud's horizon brought forth a moon for me,

    among stars that rove or march.

  5. يقطر ماء الجمال منه وير

    تج اذا ارتج ردفه المردف

    Beauty's water drips from him, and he

    quivers when his full rump quivers.

  6. ومسرف الحسن لا يلام اذا

    جار على عاشقيه أو أسرف

    One extravagant in beauty is not blamed when

    he wrongs his lovers or goes to excess.

  7. عقف كلابه وأرهفه

    فقلت يكفيك صدغك الاعقف

    He bent his hook and sharpened it;

    I said, 'Your curling temple-lock is enough for you.

  8. تغنيك عن سهمك اللحاظ وعن

    صارمك العضب قدك الاهيف

    Your glances suffice in place of your arrow, and

    your slender form in place of your keen-edged sword.'

  9. ومال كفي على سوالفه

    والموت من دون لمسها يسلف

    My palm inclined toward the sides of his neck,

    though death precedes even a touch of them.

  10. فمر مر السحاب يسحب فض

    ل الكم عجباً وفاضل المطرف

    He passed like passing clouds, trailing the loose

    folds of his sleeve in pride, and the hem of his bordered cloak.

  11. وقال والورد قد تعصفر في

    خديه غيظاً وآن أن يقطف

    He said, while the rose had turned safflower-red on

    his cheeks with anger, and its time for plucking had come:

  12. مثلك يلقي يداً علي أما

    يخاف من ناظري أن يتلف

    'One like you lays a hand on me! Does he not

    fear that my gaze will destroy him?

  13. لو مر بي الليث مات خوفاً ولو

    أبصرت طيفي في النوملم يطرف

    Were a lion to pass me, it would die of fear; and if

    you saw my phantom in sleep, your eye would not blink.

  14. أنا العذاب المذاب والأسد ال

    أسود بأساً والمقرف المقرف

    I am molten torment, and the lion,

    black in ferocity, the baseborn, the loathsome.

  15. أشطر مني فتى إذا وقعت

    عليه عيني في الوقت لم يتلف

    More daring than I is any youth who, when

    my eye falls upon him, does not perish that instant.

  16. إذا شربنا بنت الكروم فبال

    بيض نحيا وبالقنا نتحف

    When we drink the daughter of the vines, with

    white blades we are greeted, and with spears we are gifted.

  17. لولا توقي أو مراقبتي

    أني عزيز وأنت مستضعف

    Were it not for my caution, or my regard for the fact

    that I am mighty and you deemed weak,

  18. نحرت حتى السماء واقعة

    فوقي والارض تحتنا تخسف

    I would slaughter until the sky fell

    above me and the earth sank beneath us.'

  19. فقلت مهلا فلست أول من

    أخطأ جهلا من قبل ان يعرف

    I said, 'Easy! You are not the first who

    erred through ignorance before coming to know.

  20. البدر لا ينسخ الظلام على

    ديباجتيه والبحر لا ينزف

    The full moon has no darkness inscribed upon

    its two silken cheeks, and the sea cannot be drained.

  21. عزمت أن أدعي عليك فلا

    تصغ إلى من لحا ومن عنف

    I have resolved to lay a claim against you, so do not

    listen to anyone who reproaches or scolds.

  22. ولا تكلني الى اليمين فلو

    شئت اكلت الزبور والمصحف

    Nor make me resort to an oath; for if

    I wished, I would swallow the Psalms and the Qur'an.'

  23. فافتر عن لؤلؤ وأسفر عن

    ورد وقبلته فما استنكف

    He smiled, revealing pearls, and unveiled

    roses; I kissed him, and he did not disdain it.

  24. وقال ما تشتهي فقلت له

    نقصف حسادنا بأن نقصف

    He said, 'What do you desire?' I told him,

    'Let us shatter our enviers by carousing.'

  25. فمال بي والظلام شملته

    وفجره في يمينه مرهف

    He led me away, with darkness as his cloak,

    and his dawn, in his right hand, a sharpened blade,

  26. إلى رياضٍ يغازل القطر ما

    دبج من زهرها وما فوف

    toward gardens where rain woos what

    it has embroidered of their blossoms, and what it has striped,

  27. ما بين فتيان لذة عرفوا ال

    عيش فنالوا نعيمه الالطف

    among pleasure-loving youths who knew

    life and attained its most delicate bliss.

  28. هذا يحيي وذا يغار وذا

    يلثم كرهاً وذاك يستعطف

    This one greets, another grows jealous, and another

    kisses by force, while that one seeks affection.

  29. برد الثرى بردنا وقد زرر ال

    بدر علينا دواجه المحصف

    The earth's mantle was our mantle, and the

    full moon had buttoned its close-woven cloak over us.

  30. وبيننا خمرتان من ريقة ال

    كرم وريق أشهى من القرقف

    Between us were two wines, from the saliva of the

    vine and from saliva sweeter than wine.

  31. ولطف الله لي بمدرجة

    مثالها عند مثلي تلطف

    And God graced me with a scroll,

    whose like is a gracious favor to one like me.

  32. أنشدته شعر مكشف فأنى

    يلثم تلكش السطر والأحرف

    I recited to him an explicit poem—and how he

    kissed those lines and letters!

  33. ومات سكراً فمت من فرح

    وكاد ستر الغرام أن يكشف

    He died of drunkenness, and I died of joy,

    and the veil of passion was nearly lifted.