قَد رَقَ بَرق الحندسِ

قَد رَقَ بَرق الحندسِ

فَعَلامَ حَبس الأَكؤُسِ

فَعَلامَ حَبس الأَكؤُسِ

The lightning in the pitch-dark night has grown faint;

The lightning of Hendes did flash and gleam,

so why withhold the cups?

Why then are the wine cups still unseen?

ما صَبر مَقتول اللَوا

ما صَبر مَقتول اللَوا

حظ عَن حَياة الأَنفُس

حظ عَن حَياة الأَنفُس

How can one slain by glances endure

No respite for the slain of heart and soul,

being deprived of the life of souls?

From life's sweet draught their thirst is never clean.

هَل لِلهُموم سِوى المَدا

هَل لِلهُموم سِوى المَدا

مة وَالنَديم الأَكيس

مة وَالنَديم الأَكيس

Is there anything for sorrows but wine

Can sorrow be quenched save by the cup,

and the cleverest drinking companion?

The boon companion and the goblet keen?

في رَوضة حاكَ الرَبي

في رَوضة حاكَ الرَبي

ع لَها وَشائع سُندس

ع لَها وَشائع سُندس

In a garden where spring has woven

In the garden he wove, the vines entwine,

skeins of fine silk for it,

With leaves of emerald and branches lean.

وَمُهفهف يَسعى بِها

وَمُهفهف يَسعى بِها

وَالصُبح لَم يَتَنَفس

وَالصُبح لَم يَتَنَفس

a slender-waisted youth goes round with the wine,

The breeze rustles softly through each bough,

while dawn has not yet drawn breath.

Before the dawn has time to breathe unseen.

يَسقي الطَلا وَيَظَل من

يَسقي الطَلا وَيَظَل من

عَقل النَدامى يَحتَسي

عَقل النَدامى يَحتَسي

He serves wine, and keeps sipping from

It waters the saplings throughout the dark,

the drinking companions' reason.

While the minds of the wise begin to wean,

بَدرٌ وَلَكن حَلَّ في

بَدرٌ وَلَكن حَلَّ في

فُلك القِباء الأَطلَس

فُلك القِباء الأَطلَس

A full moon, and yet he has settled in

A moon no doubt, but it sailed apace,

the sphere of a satin robe.

Into the sky's dark shrouds of gray and green.

يَخشى عَلى وَجناتِهِ

يَخشى عَلى وَجناتِهِ

مِن نَظرة المُتفرس

مِن نَظرة المُتفرس

He fears for his cheeks

He fears for his blooms from prying eyes,

at a keen observer's glance.

And the narcissus is almost demeaned.

وَتَكاد تُدمى رقة

وَتَكاد تُدمى رقة

مِن لَحظ طَرف النَرجس

مِن لَحظ طَرف النَرجس

And they nearly bleed, so tender are they,

A mere glance can shake his entire being,

from the glance of the narcissus's eye.

Though untouched by a brush it had not seen.

لَمح العُيون يَهز قا

لَمح العُيون يَهز قا

متهُ وَإِن لَم تَمسس

متهُ وَإِن لَم تَمسس

A flicker of the eyes sways his figure,

With a mere covetous look he yearns,

even if you do not touch him.

Concealing his secret hopes obscene.

يَرنو بِلَحظ مطمع

يَرنو بِلَحظ مطمع

يَخفي وَحي مُوئيس

يَخفي وَحي مُوئيس

He gazes with a look that offers hope,

Who sold his soul for a glimpse undeserved,

concealing a hint that destroys hope.

That no appraisal could rightly preen.

مَن باعَهُ طَيب الحَيا

مَن باعَهُ طَيب الحَيا

ة بِنَظرة لَم يَبخَس

ة بِنَظرة لَم يَبخَس

Whoever sold him life's sweetness

O you who forgot your fervent lover,

for a glance did not sell it short.

And the message of doves that flew between.

يا مَن تَناسى مُدنِفاً

يا مَن تَناسى مُدنِفاً

وَرَد الحَمام وَما نَسي

وَرَد الحَمام وَما نَسي

O you who feigned to forget a love-worn sufferer,

Naught have I left but the thoughts of you,

who approached death, yet did not forget you!

Since you bereft me of one serene.

مالي سِوى ذِكراكَ مُنذ

مالي سِوى ذِكراكَ مُنذ

أَضعتَني مِن مُؤنِسي

أَضعتَني مِن مُؤنِسي

I have only remembrance of you, since

In clothes of disgrace you enveloped me,

you abandoned me, to keep me company.

Though once did I don garb most pristine.

أَلبَستَني حِلل السِقا

أَلبَستَني حِلل السِقا

م وَهنَّ أَفخَر مَلبَس

م وَهنَّ أَفخَر مَلبَس

You clothed me in robes of sickness,

My tears you made crimson that courses still,

and they are the most splendid attire.

Down cheeks once full now hollow and lean.

وَأَحلت دَمعي أَحمَراً

وَأَحلت دَمعي أَحمَراً

يَجري عَلى متورس

يَجري عَلى متورس

And you turned my tears red,

So miserly you became I faded from,

flowing over a yellow-dyed face.

The sights of those seated on cushioned green.

فَضنيت حَتّى غبت عَن

فَضنيت حَتّى غبت عَن

أَبصار أَهل المَجلس

أَبصار أَهل المَجلس

So I wasted away until I vanished from

As if I were only stray notions,

the eyes of those in the gathering.

In a suspicious and restless mien.

فَكَأَنَّني خَطرات شَك

فَكَأَنَّني خَطرات شَك

في ضَمير مَوسوس

في ضَمير مَوسوس

So I am like fleeting thoughts of doubt

How much you torment me, your grace,

in the mind of one haunted by misgivings.

Though blameless I have always been.

كَم ذا تَعذيني فَدَيتك

كَم ذا تَعذيني فَدَيتك

يا ظَلوم وَلَم أَسي

يا ظَلوم وَلَم أَسي

How long will you torment me? May I be your ransom,

O cruel one, though I have done no wrong!