لَوْ سَقَيْنَا الرُّبُوعَ مَاءَ الشَّبَابِ

لَوْ سَقَيْنَا الرُّبُوعَ مَاءَ الشَّبَابِ

مَا وَفَيْنَا فَكَيْفَ مَاءُ التَّصَابِي

مَا وَفَيْنَا فَكَيْفَ مَاءُ التَّصَابِي

Had we watered the dwellings with the water of youth,

Had we watered springs with the water of youth,

We would not have done them justice—how then with the water of feigned youth?

We still wouldn’t have quenched, so how can dewdrops suffice?

فَاسْقِنِي مِنْ مَنَازِلِ الحَيِّ وَجْداً

فَاسْقِنِي مِنْ مَنَازِلِ الحَيِّ وَجْداً

يَا رُبُوعَ دُمُوعَ السَّحَابِ

يَا رُبُوعَ دُمُوعَ السَّحَابِ

So give me, out of longing, from the tribe’s dwellings—

From the abodes of life give me ecstasy to drink,

O dwellings—the clouds’ tears to drink.

O springs, tears of clouds,

يَا ثُغُورَ الأَقَاحِ كُونِي رِضَاباً

يَا ثُغُورَ الأَقَاحِ كُونِي رِضَاباً

إنَّ أَشْهَى الأقَاحِ ذَاتُ الرِّضَابِ

إنَّ أَشْهَى الأقَاحِ ذَاتُ الرِّضَابِ

O mouths of daisies, be sweet saliva;

O buds of wild roses, be gentle,

Indeed, the most delectable daisies are those with sweet saliva.

For the gentlest buds are most delicious.

وَبِكأَسِ الشَّقِيقِ كُونِي شَرَاباً

وَبِكأَسِ الشَّقِيقِ كُونِي شَرَاباً

أَنْتِ فِي حُمْرَةٍ كَلَوْنِ الشَّرابِ

أَنْتِ فِي حُمْرَةٍ كَلَوْنِ الشَّرابِ

And in the anemone’s cup, be wine:

With a cup of anemones be thou my wine,

Your redness is like the color of wine.

Thou art red like the hue of wine.

أَوْثَقَتْنَا بِالنَّرْجِسِ الغَضِّ مِنْهَا

أَوْثَقَتْنَا بِالنَّرْجِسِ الغَضِّ مِنْهَا

أَعْيُنٌ لاَ كَأَعْيُنِ الأَحْبَابِ

أَعْيُنٌ لاَ كَأَعْيُنِ الأَحْبَابِ

With their fresh narcissus, we were bound

We trusted the shy narcissi,

By eyes unlike the eyes of beloveds.

Eyes unlike the eyes of loved ones,

تِلْكَ فِيهَا مِنْ فَتْرَةِ الحُسْنِ جَمْعٌ

تِلْكَ فِيهَا مِنْ فَتْرَةِ الحُسْنِ جَمْعٌ

فَارِقٌ لِلجُسُومِ والأَلْبَابِ

فَارِقٌ لِلجُسُومِ والأَلْبَابِ

In those lies a gathering of beauty’s languor,

In them a languor of beauty abounds,

Sundering bodies and minds.

Different from the hard-hearted and minds.