ماnothing هزّstirred ألبابناour minds كالأعينlike the eyes النجلwide
ما هزّ ألبابنا كالأعين النجل
وكاهتزامand like the quivering of ثقالheavy الردفthe buttocks والكفلand the haunches
وكاهتزام ثقال الردف والكفل
Nothing stirred our minds like wide eyes,
Nothing shakes our minds like the soft eyes,
and like the quivering of full buttocks and haunches,
And the swaying of heavy hips and shoulders,
وشهدةand the honeycomb of الثغرthe mouth منfrom برقlightning يجوهرهjewels it
وشهدة الثغر من برق يجوهره
يردdrives back الغمامthe clouds بحسنwith the beauty of النظمthe arrangement والرتلand the even spacing
يرد الغمام بحسن النظم والرتل
and the mouth's honeycomb, with lightning that jewels it
And the smile of the mouth like a sparkling gem,
and drives back the clouds with its lovely arrangement and even spacing;
The clouds return with rhythmic subtlety,
ومورحياتand the swaying of serpents فرعhair فوقabove خاصرةa waist
ومورحيات فرع فوق خاصرة
وتحتهاand beneath it لاnot تنيslackens لغصّةin choking الحجلthe anklet
وتحتها لا تني لغصّة الحجل
and the swaying of hair-serpents above a waist,
And the swing of branches above the waist,
and beneath it, never ceasing to choke the anklet;
With no roughness below to hinder the dress,
وكالتمايسand like the swaying منfrom ليthe twisting of القدودthe figures ضحىat midmorning
وكالتمايس من لي القدود ضحى
ممنطقاgirdled بضعيفwith a slender الخصرwaist كالثملlike one drunk
ممنطقا بضعيف الخصر كالثمل
and like the swaying of twisting figures at midmorning,
And the touching of hands in the morning glow,
girdled with a slender waist, like one drunk.
Girdled round the weak waist like a necklace,
وعندناand we have شركsnares للموتfor death آخذةٌholding
وعندنا شرك للموت آخذةٌ
ماءthe water of الملاحةloveliness فيin الثغورthe mouths والمقلand the eyes
ماء الملاحة في الثغور والمقل
And we have death's snares, holding
And we have a pact with death, powerful,
the water of loveliness in mouths and eyes.
The brackish water at the gates and wells,
هذيthis مدامتناour wine العظمىthe supreme فلاso may not سلمتescape unharmed
هذي مدامتنا العظمى فلا سلمت
أولوthose possessed of الهوىpassion منfrom تعاطيdrinking أكؤسcups of الغزلlove poetry
أولو الهوى من تعاطي أكؤس الغزل
This is our supreme wine; so may there be no escape
This is our greatest intoxication, so those
for lovers from drinking the cups of love poetry.
Who love cannot avoid drinking from cups of poetry.