ياO نَدِيماًboon companion نادمتُI caroused with فيهin his company السُّروراjoy
يا نَدِيماً نادمتُ فيه السُّرورا
بأبيwith my father as ransom أنتَyou مُلهياًentertaining وسميراand a companion by night
بأبي أنتَ مُلهياً وسميرا
O companion, in whose company I made Joy my drinking-mate,
O boon companion, in whose company I caroused with Joy,
may my father be your ransom—an entertainer and evening friend!
My father be your ransom, entertainer and companion by night,
بِغناءٍwith song يبثُّscatters دُرّاًpearls نظيماًstrung
بِغناءٍ يبثُّ دُرّاً نظيماً
وحديثٍand conversation يبثُّscatters درّاًpearls نثيراunstrung
وحديثٍ يبثُّ درّاً نثيرا
With song that scatters pearls in ordered strands,
With song that scatters strung pearls,
and conversation that scatters pearls loose and unstrung.
And conversation that scatters loose pearls.
أنتyou لوif لمnot تكنyou were بُعِثتَyou were sent الىto اللَّهْrevelry (word continues next line)
أنت لو لم تكن بُعِثتَ الى اللَّهْ
وِcompletion of 'revelry' (اللهو) رَسُولاًas a messenger لمnot أنطقI made speak الطنبوراthe tanbur (lute)
وِ رَسُولاً لم أنطق الطنبورا
Had you not been sent forth to revelry
Had you not been sent to revelry
as its apostle, I would not have made the tanbur speak.
As a messenger, I would not have made the tanbur speak.
لمnot يَزَلcease ناطقاًspeaking يُناغيكَcooing to you حتّىuntil
لم يَزَل ناطقاً يُناغيكَ حتّى
كادتnearly الأرضُthe earth تحتناbeneath us أنto تَمُوراsway
كادت الأرضُ تحتنا أن تَمُورا
It went on speaking, answering you in melody, until
It kept speaking, cooing to you, until
the earth beneath us almost began to sway.
The earth beneath us nearly began to sway.
فلوso if اَنَّthat البحورthe seas خمرٌwine لديناat our disposal
فلو اَنَّ البحور خمرٌ لدينا
وتَغَنَّيتَand you sang لارتَشَفناthen we would have sipped البحوراthe seas
وتَغَنَّيتَ لارتَشَفنا البحورا
Had the sea been wine at hand for us,
So, had the seas been wine at our disposal,
and had you sung, we would have sipped up the seas.
And had you sung, we would have sipped the seas.
قصرَgrew short الليلُthe night إذwhen حَدَوتَyou urged on with song مطاياmounts
قصرَ الليلُ إذ حَدَوتَ مطايا
هُits فأسرعنَso they hastened إذwhen طَوَينَthey folded up المَسيراthe journey
هُ فأسرعنَ إذ طَوَينَ المَسيرا
The night grew short when you sang to urge its mounts;
The night grew short when you urged its mounts on with song;
they sped on, folding up the road.
And they hastened as they folded up the journey.
