غَدَتْ لذَّاتُنا أَمَمَا

غَدَتْ لذَّاتُنا أَمَمَا

فلم تَحسُنْ لبُعْدِكُما

فلم تَحسُنْ لبُعْدِكُما

Our pleasures are now close at hand,

Our pleasures have become nations

yet are not sweet with you both far away.

Since you two have been away

وقد حَثَّ ابتسامُ البر

وقد حَثَّ ابتسامُ البر

قِ دَمْعَ المُزْنِ فانسجَما

قِ دَمْعَ المُزْنِ فانسجَما

And the lightning's smile has stirred

And the smile of innocence urged

the rain-clouds' tears, and they streamed.

The teardrop of sadness and they mingled

وحَنَّ الرَّعْدُ حتى خِلْ

وحَنَّ الرَّعْدُ حتى خِلْ

تُه يَستَعْطِفُ الدِّيَما

تُه يَستَعْطِفُ الدِّيَما

And thunder moaned until I thought

And thunder softened until it

it was seeking the steady rains' sympathy.

Became like a supplicant for rain

وعندي قَيْنَةٌ نَظَمَتْ

وعندي قَيْنَةٌ نَظَمَتْ

شَتِيتَ العَيشِ فانتَظَما

شَتِيتَ العَيشِ فانتَظَما

And with me is a singing-girl who gathered

And I have a poem that composed

life's scattered strands, and they fell into harmony,

The scattered life so it came together

كشَمْسٍ سالَمتْ ظُلَماً

كشَمْسٍ سالَمتْ ظُلَماً

وغُصْنٍ حاملٍ عَنَما

وغُصْنٍ حاملٍ عَنَما

like a sun that made peace with darkness,

Like a sun that illuminated darkness

and a bough bearing red ʿanam fruit.

And a branch bearing fruit

وصافيَةٌ إذا ابتسمَتْ

وصافيَةٌ إذا ابتسمَتْ

أَرَتْنا العيشَ مُبْتَسِما

أَرَتْنا العيشَ مُبْتَسِما

And clear wine which, when it smiles,

And a clarity that when it smiled

shows us life smiling.

Showed us life smiling

ورَيحانٌ يَروقُكُما

ورَيحانٌ يَروقُكُما

ونَدمانٌ يَسُرُّكما

ونَدمانٌ يَسُرُّكما

And fragrant herbs to delight you both,

And basil that delights you

and a drinking companion to gladden you both.

And companion that pleases you

وعِلْقٌ مُعَلمٌ بالحُس

وعِلْقٌ مُعَلمٌ بالحُس

نِ أَضحى يَحْمِلُ العَلَما

نِ أَضحى يَحْمِلُ العَلَما

And a precious beloved, marked by beauty,

And a boy educated in affection

who now carries the banner.

Who now carries the flag

كأنَّ جَبينَه صُبْحٌ

كأنَّ جَبينَه صُبْحٌ

حَوى من طُرَّةٍ ظُلَما

حَوى من طُرَّةٍ ظُلَما

As though his brow were dawn,

As if his forehead is a dawn

holding darkness from a forelock.

That contained darkness

وشَيءٌ لستُ أذكُرُهُ

وشَيءٌ لستُ أذكُرُهُ

حِذاراً أن أُطيرَكما

حِذاراً أن أُطيرَكما

And something I do not mention,

And something I dare not mention

for fear I might send you both flying.

For fear I'd chase you away

إذا داوى به شَبَقُ السْ

إذا داوى به شَبَقُ السْ

ريرَةِ داءَه انحسَما

ريرَةِ داءَه انحسَما

When the heart's lust uses it to treat

If the craving of the fascination were cured by it

its ailment, that ailment is ended.

It would be severed

ولو كُحِلَتْ به عَيْنا

ولو كُحِلَتْ به عَيْنا

معاويةٍ لَمَا حَلُما

معاويةٍ لَمَا حَلُما

And were it used as kohl for the two eyes

And if the eyes of Mu'awiya

of Muʿāwiya, they would show no restraint.

Were lined with it, he would not be tyrannical

فسِيرا تَلْقَيا بَحراً

فسِيرا تَلْقَيا بَحراً

منَ اللَّذَّاتِ مُلتَطما

منَ اللَّذَّاتِ مُلتَطما

So set out, both of you, and you will find a sea

So travel and find a sea

of pleasures, its waves crashing together.

Of pleasures surging tumultuously