دَعاني ناظِري لِلحَتفِ حَتماً

دَعاني ناظِري لِلحَتفِ حَتماً

وَمَن يَرعى الظِبا قَد يُتلِفونَه

وَمَن يَرعى الظِبا قَد يُتلِفونَه

My eye called me to certain death.

My critic called me to feast without fail

And whoever tends gazelles may be destroyed by them.

Those who herd gazelles may destroy them

كَلِفتُ بِظَبيَة لَو قابَلوها

كَلِفتُ بِظَبيَة لَو قابَلوها

بِبَدرِ التَمِّ ما إِن يُنصِفونَه

بِبَدرِ التَمِّ ما إِن يُنصِفونَه

I became enamored of a gazelle; were they to compare her

I was assigned a gazelle, if met

with the full moon, they would not do it justice.

With the full moon, they would not do her justice

عَجِبتُ لِجَفنها وَسنانَ يَرمي

عَجِبتُ لِجَفنها وَسنانَ يَرمي

نبالا لِلقُلوبِ وَيألَفونَه

نبالا لِلقُلوبِ وَيألَفونَه

I marveled at her drowsy eyelid, shooting

I was amazed by her eyelids and teeth that cast

arrows at hearts, yet they grow fond of it.

Arrows to hearts that captivate them

وَكُنتُ جاهِلاً أَصلَ الغَرامِ

وَكُنتُ جاهِلاً أَصلَ الغَرامِ

فَها أَنا فائِقٌ مَن يَعرِفونَه

فَها أَنا فائِقٌ مَن يَعرِفونَه

And I was ignorant of the nature of passion;

I was ignorant of the source of passion

so here I am, surpassing those who know it.

And now I surpass those who know it

مَتى أَحظى بجَفنِك إِنَّ نَومي

مَتى أَحظى بجَفنِك إِنَّ نَومي

جُفوني لِلنَدا لا يُسعِفونَهُ

جُفوني لِلنَدا لا يُسعِفونَهُ

When shall I win your eyelid's favor? Indeed, my sleep—

When will I enjoy your eyelid? My sleep

my eyelids, wet with dew, will not grant it.

My eyelids fail the call, they do not aid it

وَنَمزُجُ مِن رُضابِكِ كأسَ راح

وَنَمزُجُ مِن رُضابِكِ كأسَ راح

عَتيقٍ مِن قَديمٍ يُسلفونه

عَتيقٍ مِن قَديمٍ يُسلفونه

And we mix some of your saliva into a cup of wine,

We shall blend from your cheeks a drink of solace

aged, from old stock that they proffer.

Aged from old they lend it

وَخِلّانٌ حَوالينا وِداداً

وَخِلّانٌ حَوالينا وِداداً

لَهُم عَهدُ الهَوى لا يُخلِفونَه

لَهُم عَهدُ الهَوى لا يُخلِفونَه

And loving friends are all around us;

And cupbearers encircling us affection

they have a pledge of love they never break.

They have a tryst with love, they do not break it

وَنَهزِمُ هَمّنا بِخَميسِ لَهوٍ

وَنَهزِمُ هَمّنا بِخَميسِ لَهوٍ

وَأَوتارٍ عذابٍ يَردِفونَه

وَأَوتارٍ عذابٍ يَردِفونَه

And we rout our cares with an army of merriment,

We will defeat our worries with a fifth of jest

and sweet-sounding strings that follow in its wake.

And strings of torment that accompany it

فَهَل يا دَهرُ تُسعَفُ باقتِراح

فَهَل يا دَهرُ تُسعَفُ باقتِراح

وَتُغمِضُ مِن مُراقبنا جُفونَه

وَتُغمِضُ مِن مُراقبنا جُفونَه

So will you, O Time, grant a wish

So fate, will you oblige my request

and close our watcher's eyelids?

And close your eyes to our observers

أَبيتُ صَريعَ لَحظٍ مَع رَحيقٍ

أَبيتُ صَريعَ لَحظٍ مَع رَحيقٍ

طَريحا مُستَغيثا يالَّ فونَه

طَريحا مُستَغيثا يالَّ فونَه

I pass the night, felled by a glance, with pure wine,

I refused to be felled by a glance with redolence

cast down, crying for help: [ending unclear].

Laying prone, crying oh would that save me!