قَدindeed صَفاbecame clear ماءwater النَعيمِof bliss
قَد صَفا ماء النَعيمِ
فيin مَحيّاهُhis face الوَسيمhandsome
في مَحيّاهُ الوَسيم
The water of bliss has grown clear
in his handsome face.
قُربَهُhis nearness جَنةa garden عَدنيmy Eden
قُربَهُ جَنة عَدني
وَتَنائِبِهِand his distance جَحيميmy hell
وَتَنائِبِهِ جَحيمي
His nearness is my Garden of Eden,
and his distance is my hell.
إِنif رَنىhe gazes تَيّمhe enthralls بِالأَلwith the glances (word beginning)
إِن رَنى تَيّم بِالأَل
حاظَglances (word ending) غُزلانgazelles الصَريمthe thicket
حاظَ غُزلان الصَريم
If he gazes, his glances enthrall
the gazelles of the thicket.
أَوor تَثنىhe sways أَخجلhe puts to shame الأَغthe boughs (word beginning)
أَو تَثنى أَخجل الأَغ
صانboughs (word ending) بِالقَدwith the stature القَويمupright
صان بِالقَد القَويم
Or if he sways, he shames the boughs
with his upright form.
أَوor تَغنىhe sings بُلبلhe confounds البَلباthe nightingale (word beginning)
أَو تَغنى بُلبل البَلبا
لnightingale (word ending) بِالشَدوwith the song الرَخيمmellow
ل بِالشَدو الرَخيم
Or if he sings, he confounds the nightingale
with his mellow song.
وَإِذاand when قامَhe rises يُديرhe passes around الراthe wine (word beginning)
وَإِذا قامَ يُدير الرا
حwine (word ending) فيin اللَيلthe night البَهيمpitch-dark
ح في اللَيل البَهيم
And when he rises to pass the wine
in the pitch-dark night,
كَشفdispels اللَيلthe night سَناهhis radiance
كَشف اللَيل سَناه
وَاِنجَلىand clears away لَيلthe night الهُمومof cares
وَاِنجَلى لَيل الهُموم
his radiance dispels the night,
and the night of cares clears away.
يَقرَعtaps الجامthe goblet بَدرa full moon
يَقرَع الجام بَدر
مِنهُfrom him فيin ثَغرa mouth نَظيمwell-ordered
مِنهُ في ثَغر نَظيم
A full moon taps the goblet,
from within his mouth of well-set teeth.
فَإِذاso when عَبَّhe quaffs مِنfrom الراthe wine (word beginning)
فَإِذا عَبَّ مِن الرا
حwine (word ending) اِحتَسىhe sips لُبthe wits النَديمof the drinking companion
ح اِحتَسى لُب النَديم
So when he quaffs the wine,
he sips away his drinking companion's wits.
ياO حَياتيmy life وَحَماميand my death
يا حَياتي وَحَمامي
وَحَميميand my close friend وَغَريميand my adversary
وَحَميمي وَغَريمي
O my life and my death,
and my close friend and my adversary,
لِمَwhy لاnot تَرثيyou pity لِصَبfor a lovesick lover
لِمَ لا تَرثي لِصَب
مَنfrom تَجنيكyour unjust treatment سَقيمailing
مَن تَجنيك سَقيم
why do you not pity a lovesick man,
ailing from your cruelty,
رَقَّhe grew frail حَتّىuntil قَدindeed حَكىhe resembled رقsoftness (word beginning)
رَقَّ حَتّى قَد حَكى رق
ةsoftness (word ending) أَنفاسbreaths النَسيمof the breeze
ة أَنفاس النَسيم
grown so frail that he resembles
the softness of the breeze's breaths?